


Stalking Jack the Ripper One Shots

by hannahcushman



Category: Kingdom of the Wicked Series - Kerri Maniscalco, Stalking Jack the Ripper - Kerri Maniscalco
Genre: BTDP, Becoming the Dark Prince, CTD, Capturing the Devil, Cressworth, EFH, Escaping from Houdini, F/M, Hunting Prince Dracula, KOTC, KOTW, Kerri Maniscalco, Kingdom of the Cursed, Kingdom of the Wicked - Freeform, Princewitch - Freeform, Stalking Jack the Ripper - Freeform, hpd - Freeform, sjtr
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 23:08:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 78,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29497818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannahcushman/pseuds/hannahcushman
Summary: A series of one shot fanfictions about Cressworth (Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell) from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco. Some of these fics were written years before the series was finished so please ignore any inaccuracies within the first few chapters!!
Relationships: Cresswell/Wadsworth, Emilia di Carlo/Wrath, Emilia/Wrath, Thomas Cresswell & Audrey Rose Wadsworth, Thomas Cresswell/Audrey Rose Wadsworth, Thomas/Audrey Rose, cressworth - Relationship, princewitch
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. The Bathing Chamber

The cold air and snow fell down on Thomas and I as we waited for Uncle Jonathan outside of our hotel. We had finally arrived in Chicago yesterday, only now being able to take our time exploring the city. My body shivered from the cold before two arms wrapped around me, shielding me from the freezing air. 

“Thomas,” I groaned but leaned into his warm body nonetheless, “Uncle will be out momentarily.” 

He placed a quick kiss to my hair, then resting his chin in the same spot so my face was pressed into his chest. “He won’t mind, your uncle adores me.”

I buried my face deeper into his body as I said, “not when you’re acting improperly with his niece.” 

Thomas only scoffed above me and hugged me closer. “Make sure to keep your gloves on,” he murmured against the side of my head after a few minutes. 

I pulled back—not completely, just enough to look up at him—and flashed him a perplexed expression. “Why exactly do you want me to keep my gloves on? Aside from the cold of course.” 

“Because when we inevitably sneak off on our own to partake in….indecent activities, no one will be able to look at your left hand and see that we’re not married.” Thomas leaned closer as he murmured, “meaning, we can do whatever we please without anyone caring.” Our lips were mere millimetres apart when a voice came from behind us, “look at the snow, Audrey Rose! Isn’t it wonderful?”

Thomas and I broke apart just as Uncle looked up at us. “Indeed,” I responded as innocently as possible. Either Uncle didn’t see mine and Thomas's scandalous moment, or he didn’t care enough to mention it. I dared a glance at Thomas only to see him smirk at me, hoping he thought my flushed cheeks were pink from the cold rather than embarrassment. 

Uncle Jonathan walked past us and began walking down the street. Thomas held out an elbow as he spoke, “best to hold onto me, Wadsworth. We don’t want you slipping on the snow or ice, now do we?” Raising my brow at him, I grabbed his arm as we began to follow Uncle Jonathan down the road. 

I lifted my head to Thomas's ear to say, “you’re ridiculous, Cresswell.”

He only smirked and replied, “ridiculously in love with you, correct.”

“What are you two whispering about back there?” Uncle inquired from a few feet ahead of us. I shot an accusatory look at Thomas before answering, “we were talking about how Cresswell is nearly 18. He said he needs to start borrowing my cane due to old age.” 

Thomas glared at me as Uncle Jonathan chuckled. He then said, “I have some business to attend to around the city so you two may go explore if you’d like. All I ask is that you stay safe and meet me back in Audrey Rose’s chambers at the hotel in a few hours.”

Thomas and I nodded, and I quickly kissed Uncle’s cheek in farewell as he disappeared into one of the shops. Thomas led me farther down the street as he said, “I told you we’d eventually be alone. I’m starting to think your uncle intentionally makes excuses for us to be left unattended.” 

I rolled my eyes and held tighter onto Thomas's arm because of how unsteady my cane was on the snow. Adjusting to the cane was easier than I had expected and it was even easier with Thomas always by my side—quite literally. I shook the thought from my head and asked, “about your 18th birthday, is Daciana coming to visit?”

Thomas shrugged, “I’m not sure, but I do hope so. I’d love to see her and Liza meet.”

“Me too. Ileana too of course. The three of them could take over England.” 

Thomas chuckled with a nod. “Most definitely. With your assistance of course.”

I blushed slightly at his flirting and asked, “where are we going exactly?” 

Thomas then swiftly pulled me into a small alleyway and pushed me up against the wall of the building, a small shriek escaping my lips at the movement. He grinned at me and began to laugh, causing me to giggle as well. I let my head rest against the building behind me as I gazed up at Thomas. Eventually, our fit of laughter had died down into a calming silence. Thomas's wide grin faded into a straight line, his brown eyes staring intently at me. He brushed his thumb across my lower lip delicately. I waited for some form of a deduction or sarcastic remark, but Thomas didn’t speak. My brows creased in confusion as I asked, “what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

It took Thomas a while for him to respond, his voice so quiet I could hardly tell if I had heard him correctly. “Because you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he repeated, his voice still no more than a whisper. I remained silent. It wasn’t uncommon for Thomas to compliment me when we were alone, but the tone in his voice was something I had never heard from him before. There was no trace of the usual cocky, sarcastic, Thomas Cresswell, all that remained was a vulnerable boy. The way Thomas had spoken wasn’t him complimenting my appearance, but rather me as a whole. Not just my physical beauty, but all that came with it. My eyes went wide as my mouth opened yet no words came out. I gazed into his brown eyes until I managed to say something. “Thomas, I—”

His lips were on mine. The kiss was hungry and lustful, but more so than that, full of love. All the love Thomas could give was poured into the kiss and I returned just as much. I knew that this alleyway was open enough for many people to see, but I didn’t care about them. I only cared about  _ him _ and the feeling of his lips on mine. And Thomas was right, with my gloves on no one could see that we weren’t married. To the outside eye, we were just a happily married couple enjoying each others company. Thomas's hand that was previously on my waist moved up to cup my other cheek. I moved up on my tip toes but immediately hissed and pulled back from a sharp pain in my leg. 

Thomas immediately grabbed my elbows to steady me and asked, “are you alright, love?”

I nodded swiftly and answered, “I’m alright, I just put too much pressure on my leg, that’s all. Sometimes I forget about the injury entirely, usually because of...certain distractions. Maybe if you weren’t so tall, I’d be able to kiss you without this problem, Cresswell.” Thomas smirked lightly at my tease, but I could tell he felt guilty. “Don’t blame yourself, Thomas. It’s fine, honestly. Besides, maybe this gives us an excuse to head back to the hotel for some alone time. Maybe on a bed?”

Thomas gave a short dry laugh and lowered his head once in a short confirmation. I thrusted my chin up, a silent indication that I wanted a kiss. This time a genuine smile appeared on his lips as he obliged, pressing his warm lips against mine. Once he pulled back, he held out his arm which I, in turn, grabbed as we headed back towards the hotel. 

—

The walk back from the alleyway had been quiet, not an uncomfortable silence, but rather a peaceful one. Thomas had led me back to my room and leaned in the doorway as I entered. I cocked my head to the side as I watched him and said, “we both know you’re not suddenly going to act decent and go back to your room, so you’d better just come inside before someone sees you standing there.”

Thomas smirked at me, pushing himself off of the door frame and took a step into the room, using his foot to close the door behind him. “So eager to have me all alone, Ms. Wadsworth, what would your father say? Though I do understand not being able to resist my charm and handsome appearance.”

I let out a deep sigh and shook my head as I began taking off my gloves, coat, and shoes. Thomas did the same. “You are insufferable, Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell. Just like your full name,” I said with a playful smirk.

He placed a hand against his chest and gasped sarcastically. “How dare you insult my name, Audrey Rose Wadsworth?” He asked melodramatically. 

I bit my lip in an attempt to contain my growing smile. “I would make fun of it again, but I don’t have the time to repeat it.”

Thomas swiftly crossed the distance between us, wrapping his arms around my waist and tossing me over his shoulder. I held tightly onto the back of his jacket with both of my hands as he carried me over to the bed, laying me out on the sheets. I readjusted my head against the pillow while Thomas crawled on top of me. His knees rested on either side of my thighs, his body trapping me underneath him. 

We stayed there for a while, both of us staring at each other, waiting to see who would break first. He brought his hand up to my face, grazing his fingertips from my temple, down the side of my face, and across my jaw, finally stopping at my chin where he delicately held it, angling my head upwards towards his face. My heart raced from anticipation, from this, from  _ him _ . I don’t know what magic spell had been placed on me to make me ever even consider living a life with Mephistopheles, because this—Thomas, is something that I could never imagine a life without. 

“I love you,” I whispered as if it were a secret only meant for the two of us. 

Thomas brushed his nose against mine, the faintest touch, and yet it still set my whole body on fire. He replied, equally as quiet, “and I love you.”

Thomas slowly leaned down, his lips only a hair's width away from mine when I said, “I want to go take a bath.” 

He pulled back, a slightly disappointed look on his face, yet he nodded nonetheless. No matter what Thomas wanted, he always put my wants before his own, something that I’d always admired about him. How selfless he was. Just as he began climbing off of my body, I gripped his shoulders and pulled him back down close to me. “I want to take a bath  _ with you _ , Thomas.”

His eyes went wide, his eyebrows raised, and for a moment I thought I had said the wrong thing but Thomas's face faded into a wide grin accompanied by a breathy laugh. He dug his face into my shoulder and mumbled, “you are absolutely incredible, Audrey Rose.”

“Well, will you join me or not?” I asked timidly, all my confidence from before suddenly gone.

Thomas pulled back and kissed me softly, cupping my cheek in his palm. “Aren’t you worried about your Uncle? What if he comes back and we’re...you know?”

“Is Thomas Cresswell actually flabbergasted?” I teased and when he didn’t respond, I pushed him back lightly as I sat up against the headboard. I grabbed both of his hands in my own and laced our fingers together. “I know my Uncle and he’ll be occupied for hours walking around the city. But if you’re that worried, we—”

Thomas's lips were on mine once again and gone a moment later. He quickly hopped off the bed and said, “stay there, I’ll be back momentarily.” He disappeared into the bathing chamber and began to run the bath. My toes curled with adrenaline and excitement. Kissing Thomas was already indecent in itself, but bathing with him was on an entirely new level. I found that a large part of me didn’t care. 

As he had said, Thomas appeared again and made his way over to me. He sat on the edge of the bed and I moved to sit on his lap, my legs straddling his waist. I felt his hands slide up my back, past my shoulders and down my arms, to my hands. With a small tug, I fell into his body, my mouth colliding with his in a hungry kiss. My hands found his shoulders, while his travelled underneath my dress to rest on my thighs. His thumb traced small circles over the scar on my leg as he pulled his mouth away from mine, only to move his lips down to my neck, sucking and nipping at my skin. 

I began tugging Thomas's jacket off. His hands left my legs in order to completely remove the item, and he quickly began removing my clothing. 

Once I was left in only my chemise, drawers, and corset, Thomas stood and removed his own clothes. He helped me stand up from the bed, my hands resting on his shoulders to keep my body steady without my cane. Thomas looked me up and down before finally meeting my gaze. 

“You are breathtaking Audrey Rose,” Thomas spoke in a hushed tone. I flashed him a dainty smile before Thomas's hands were on the back on my thighs, lifting me into his arms. My legs wrapped his waist as he carried us to the bathing chamber. It felt like I might combust from it all. 

As soon as he shut the door behind us, he set me back on the floor and kissed me lazily. His hands drifted down my back, hesitating over my corset. I pulled my back only to murmur, “go ahead.”

Thomas backed up slightly and turned me around and awkwardly fumbled with the laces of my corset until he managed to successfully remove it. I turned in his arms once again and immediately pressed my lips to his, sighing against his mouth. We stood there, hands exploring one another's bodies for what could’ve been seconds or minutes or hours. I could die from this. I’m  _ going  _ to die from this. I hooked my fingers into the top of his underwear and tugged lightly. He pulled his mouth from mine, though our lips still touched and I mumbled, “these need to come off.”

Thomas indeed took them off, leaving me to see everything. Every glorious inch of him. He looked down at himself then back at me and said, “well now that you’ve stripped me bare, it seems only fair to do the same to you.”

My cheeks flushed as I answered, “indeed, it does.”

Thomas kneeled on the floor and pulled down my drawers. I held onto his shoulders and carefully stepped out of my undergarments. He lifted the bottom part of my chemise to look at the scar on my thigh. I watched him intently as he brushed a thumb over the mark before leaning in to press a delicate kiss over it. My hands moved to his hair, my fingers brushing the dark strands back from his face. Thomas stood once again and took my chemise off. He took a step back and looked me up and down, seeing every part of me just as I saw every part of him.

Thomas spoke, “for once in my life Audrey Rose, I am at a loss for words.”   
  


“Well, then don’t  _ tell  _ me, Thomas. Show me.”

He kissed me. Picking me up into his arms, he carried me over to the bath. He stepped in and groaned in pleasure at the hot water before sitting down and placing me on his lap. I straddled his waist and wrapped my arms around his neck. “As much as I want to—and trust me, I want to—we can’t do  _ it _ . We don’t have anything to prevent a pregnancy, and—”

Thomas cut me off with a kiss. “That doesn’t matter to me, all I care about is you. Not your body, and certainly not just using your body for my pleasure, but  _ you _ . I am perfectly content just being here with you by my side—or rather, you on my lap. Besides, we can take our relationship one indecent step at a time.”

I let out a soft laugh and nodded. The bath was nearly overflowing so I turned slightly and reached out to turn the water off. When I turned back to Thomas, his head rested against the wall and his eyes were shut.

“This is nice.” He peaked one brown eye open and added, “we have to do this all the time once we’re married,” before closing his eyes again.

“Sometimes I think you’ve forgotten that we are not officially courted yet and that we still don’t know if my father will approve,” I said as I moved to lay down beside him, my head resting on his chest. I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders, holding me closer.

Thomas opened his eyes fully and shrugged. “What can I say? I’m optimistic. Besides, from this scandalous moment right here, I can tell you’d marry me regardless to what your father says. You’ve never been one for pleasing others.” When I didn’t respond, Thomas continued, “now can we please stop talking about your father while naked?”

I only kissed him in reply. He pulled my body directly on top of his, moving one hand to hold the back of my head while his other arm wrapped around my waist. He kissed me deeply and lazily, as though we had the rest of our lives to do so. I allowed myself to moan softly against his lips. Thomas mumbled, “that was the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.” He moved his mouth to the underside of my jaw and I angled my head to allow him better access. 

“One day,” he murmured against my skin, “I’m going to ravish you wholly until the only thing you can remember is my name.”

“One day,” I managed to say, though Thomas’s teeth and tongue on my neck were quite the distraction.

He pulled away completely, making me whine in protest. Thomas only smirked at me and said, “if I have this much of an effect on you now, imagine what you’ll do when I’m inside you.”

My face turned red from embarrassment and I dug my face in his chest to hide. “Stop teasing me, both with your kisses and from making fun of me!”

Thomas said, “then how can I make it up to you?”

“I have a few ideas…” I began and closed the distance between our lips. 

They didn’t part for a long time afterwards.

—

Thomas and I sat on opposite sides of the room, dressed in the same outfits we wore prior to our indecent bout of lust. Neither of us knew when Uncle Jonathan would be coming back, so we opted by being cautious and looking as innocent as possible so if he happened to walk in, he wouldn’t expect anything. However, the distance between Thomas and I didn’t stop him from randomly saying inappropriate things.

“Wadsworth, the way you touched my coc—”

“Thom—” 

The door opened revealing Uncle Jonathan. I hid my face behind my book, both Thomas and I instantly going silent. Thomas seemed to have more courage than me by saying, “how was it out in the city, Dr. Wadsworth?”

“Very pleasant, but cold. How was your time out in the city?” Uncle asked.

I quickly cut in, “it was excellent, Uncle Jonathan. We weren’t out for very long due to my leg, but we came back here to grab something to eat and to read.”

Uncle spoke, “sounds lovely. Thomas, it’s getting quite late, you should head back to your room.” 

Thomas nodded and flashed me a smug expression while Uncle wasn’t looking. “I should, thank you for reminding me. Have a lovely evening Wadsworth, try not to think about me too much. Goodnight Dr. Wadsworth.”

“Goodnight Thomas,” Uncle said. Thomas winked at me quickly before leaving and I only shook my head at him. Uncle looked over at me and asked, “I’m going to head to my chambers, will you be alright on your own?” I nodded in reply before Uncle continued, “if you need anything, niece, just let me know.”

Uncle then left my room, closing the door behind him. I fell back against my bed with a large sigh. I blushed at the thought of all Thomas and I had done today, all the places he had touched me, all the places I had touched him. I changed into my sleep attire and got into bed, drifting into a tranquil slumber accompanied by a dream with a white dress, two rings, and  _ Thomas Cresswell _ . 


	2. Mistakes

Thomas and Audrey Rose were just leaving the room when Jonathan Wadsworth called out, “Thomas, may I speak with you for a moment?” The newly engaged couple turned in the doorway as Jonathan added, “alone.”

Audrey Rose made a perplexed expression but nodded regardless. She leaned up, pressing a kiss to Thomas’s cheek, and whispered something in his ear. He captured her lips in his briefly before bidding her farewell and facing Jonathan once more. “Why did you wish to speak with me, Dr. Wadsworth?” 

“Come sit down with me, Thomas,” Jonathan began. “I’ve had something on my mind recently, ever since my niece’s and your announcement.”

Thomas quirked a brow. “You mean our engagement?” Jonathan nodded slowly. Thomas continued, “what about it?”

“Thomas, you’re aware of my past engagement to Emma Elizabeth Smith, correct?” Jonathan started and Thomas shook his head in confirmation. “I loved her. Despite what she may have thought, I loved her. However, I also loved science. As you know, Emma wasn’t fond of science, especially the fact that I thought quite the opposite. It put a strain on our relationship—our varying opinions. I tried to make it work with her, balancing my love for her and my passion for science, but ultimately Emma wanted me to choose. She wanted me to choose between the two things I loved most: her or science. As much as I loved Emma, I couldn’t give up such a large part of my life for her, so she broke off our engagement. She refused to ever speak with me again, saying she’d rather go penniless than put up with my occupation. I loved her deeply, whether she knew that or not, but despite my feelings, I couldn’t force myself to live without science.”

Thomas remained silent for a moment, waiting to see if Jonathan was finished. “I’m sorry, but what does this have to do with me?”

Jonathan sighed. “Thomas, you remind me of myself when I was young. Intelligent, charming, and wholly in love with forensics. Now that you and Audrey Rose are engaged, I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did. Now, I’m not saying that I regret losing Emma for science because I don’t, but I regret not communicating my feelings better. I fear that she died not knowing to the extent that I loved her, that I wanted to choose science over her when I didn’t. That is what I want you to be cautious of. I know your relationship with my niece isn’t under the same circumstances as mine and Emma’s engagement due to Audrey Rose’s interest for science, but never forget to show her how you feel.”

At the mention of Audrey Rose, Thomas beamed. “As much as I appreciate your concern, Dr. Wadsworth, I don’t think expressing my feelings for Audrey Rose will be a challenge. I would go to the ends of the earth for her.”

Jonathan smiled faintly and said, “I know, son. And that is what sets us apart as individuals.”

Thomas’s brows rose at the endearment.  _ Son _ . Thomas had never had a decent father figure in his life until he had met Jonathan Wadsworth and being called ‘son’ had filled him with an odd sense of approval. Thomas couldn’t contain his grin, something that only happened when he was with Audrey Rose. 

Jonathan stood up from his seat, Thomas copying the action. Thomas held out a hand for a handshake but Jonathan instead pulled him into a firm hug, patting him on the back. Thomas’s eyes went wide but embraced him back nonetheless. Jonathan said, “Audrey Rose is the closest thing I have to a daughter and I want to thank you for making her so happy after everything she’s gone through. I couldn’t picture a better man becoming her husband—my nephew-in-law.”

When the two pulled away, Thomas couldn’t help but stare at Jonathan. He shook his head in order to make coherent thoughts and managed, “I—thank you.”

Dr. Wadsworth smirked at his apprentice and said, “if you ever need to talk to someone, let me know Thomas. I understand what your relationship with your father is like, so just remember I’m here if you need me.” Thomas nodded not knowing what else to say, but he had a feeling Jonathan knew all of his unspoken words, that he knew exactly what role he played in Thomas’s life. Jonathan added, “Audrey Rose is probably waiting for you, Thomas. Best to go catch up to her.”

With that, Thomas Cresswell left the room, making his way to his fiancé’s chambers. “What was that all about?” Audrey Rose asked once he has shut the door behind him.

Thomas proceeded to break down into sobs as he told Audrey Rose everything that had just happened.

And Audrey Rose knew exactly why he was crying. 


	3. I'm Proud

Thomas wasn’t sure if he had heard his sister correctly or not at first.  _ Their father was dead. He had been sick for months now and told no one.  _

Daciana was still travelling the world, only stopping to stay with their father for a few days before heading out once again. However, her arrival was much different than anticipated. Daci hadn’t prepared herself for the news that her father had passed away in his sleep just hours prior to her entrance. That was why Thomas was going to visit his father’s home in the first place, to visit his sister. 

Thomas didn’t cry. He had hugged Daciana as she sobbed on his shoulder, yet not a single tear fell from Thomas’s own brown eyes at the news. Daci had verbalized that she didn’t want to cry for their father, but she couldn’t help but weep for that small part of him that deeply loved for her so long ago, back when their mother was still alive and healthy, back when Thomas was no more than an infant.

It wasn’t until Thomas had gotten home after hours of comforting Daci that it finally began to sink in.  _ His father,  _ despite how awful he had been,  _ was dead.  _ Thomas was never close to his father, more distant than Daciana ever was, which was saying a lot due to how little Daciana and him had spoken. A part of Thomas felt guilty for not crying as his sister had been, but another part of him felt the opposite.  _ Why did the man who emotionally ruined him, to the point of doubting anyone could truly love him, deserve his tears—being his father or not?  _

Thomas shook his head to clear his thoughts before making his way up to his and Audrey Rose’s private chambers. Hovering in the doorway, he saw his wife sitting on their bed reading a book. She noticed his presence and smiled at him. Thomas didn’t have the energy to properly smile back, only a ghost of one trailed at the corners of his lips. Audrey Rose immediately tensed and placed her book on the bedside table. “Thomas, love, are you alright?”

Thomas bit his lower lip as he reached a hand to scratch behind his ear due to anxiety. He sighed and brought his hand back down. “Daciana informed me that my father had passed away in the middle of the night. That is why I was out longer than anticipated.”

Audrey Rose’s mouth formed an “O” as her eyes went wide, silence filling the room. 

“Thomas,” was all she could eventually manage. Thomas watched her carefully as she reached out a hand, encouraging him to join her. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, right next to Audrey Rose’s feet _ — _ staring at the floor, lost in his own thoughts. She covered his hand with her own, smoothing her thumb across his skin. “How are you doing?” Audrey Rose asked softly, but Thomas himself didn’t know the answer to that question. He looked up at her and shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure that out.”

Audrey Rose moved, planting herself in Thomas’s lap so she straddled his waist. His hands moved to her thighs out of habit as hers gripped his shoulders. Thomas stared into her green eyes, the eyes that had become so familiar to him over the years _ — _ the eyes he had painted over a dozen times before. He always found comfort in those eyes _ —her eyes.  _

She moved her right hand up to cup his cheek, caressing his cheekbone softly. “When Nathaniel died, I didn’t know what to feel. A part of me mourned the loving, kind, compassionate, brother I knew, yet I also felt guilty. I felt guilty for shedding tears over a monster who murdered so many innocent people. I know how it feels to lose someone when you have conflicted feelings, Thomas, but if there is one thing I have learned from it, it is that you don’t owe anyone anything. You are entitled to your own mourning, whichever way it may be. You needn’t sing a requiem if you do not want to, but it is  _ your choice _ . And as your wife _ — _ someone who loves you very much _ — _ I will be here to support you in any way you need.”

Thomas watched her intently. His wife rarely spoke of her late brother, considering the amount of trauma his death had put her through, but when she did speak of Nathaniel, she always pictured the brother who would play games with her as children, the boy who always had to comb his golden hair to make it look perfect, not the murderous man he had become _ — _ despite what she what she happened to be saying about. 

When Thomas realized Audrey Rose made no move to talk, he spoke, “I hate him. I hate him for the way he treated Daciana and I _ — _ hell, even my mother and stepmother. He treated his life as a chess board and everyone in it as his pawns, manipulating them and using them for his own interest. Every interaction with him had to be calculated and swift _ — _ survival of the fittest, if you will. He wanted to be better than everyone else and he hated losing more than anything. He despised it. When Daci and I were children, we made a ‘Cresswell Family Rule Book’ filled with all of the unwritten rules of our family. The first rule was ‘strike first and fast’, something our father did often.” 

Thomas paused, then continued, “For years he repeatedly told me that it would be difficult to find me a bride because no one would like me enough to want to marry me _ — _ let alone love me. Not only that but my father said ‘marriage is no more than a mutual agreement between two parties to combine wealth’ and that I could sleep around with whomever I wanted after I had secured a good wife. And the way he treated my mother! Even after she died, he would make comments on her ‘subpar lineage’. I often wonder if she secretly hated Daci and I due to our father. As for my stepmother, it’s quite obvious he only married for her body, not her heart or mind which in itself is disgusting. And Daciana. The way he treated Daci.” 

Thomas shook his head with a groan. “He only saw her as some useless young woman, someone to eventually marry off to a wealthy husband. If he ever knew Daciana’s true feelings when it came to women rather than men, he would have never spoken to her again. I just don’t understand how anyone could be so closed minded, ignorant, arrogant, sexist, and _ — _ ” Thomas cut himself off and let out a large sigh. His cheeks flushed slightly as he realized how long he had been speaking for. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

Audrey Rose kissed him. “Don’t apologize, don’t ever apologize for something like this.”

Thomas smiled softly at her before it quickly faded. The room was silent for minutes as Thomas fidgeted with the hem of her dress which pooled at her thighs, and when he finally spoke, it came out in no more than a whisper, “my father is dead.”

“I know, love. I know,” Audrey Rose spoke equally as quiet.

Thomas wrapped his arms completely around Audrey Rose’s waist and fell into her body, his face burying deep in her shoulder. He held her tightly, the kind of embrace a child would give their mother. Audrey Rose’s arms wrapped around Thomas’s neck holding him close as she ran her fingers through his hair quietly, massaging his scalp with her fingernails. 

“You are allowed to cry, Thomas,” Audrey Rose spoke as she ran a hand up and down his back calmingly.

Thomas clung to her, fisting his hands in the back of her dress and sobbed. Every ounce of hatred, sadness, repulsion, fear, anger, and somewhere deep down in his heart, love, came pouring out in his tears. All the years of doubting anyone could ever truly love him—including his own mother and sister—draining out of him. Every last drop of pent up anger and frustration towards his father finally finding its way out. Thomas dug his face into Audrey Rose’s neck, the feeling of her skin bringing him comfort. 

She began to whisper in his ear, “I love you,” over and over and over again. 

_ I love you I love you I love you. _

Throughout her “I love you’s”, Thomas heard her whisper other sweet nothings in his ear. Small phrases to both calm him and validate him.

_ You’re not worthless. I love you. You are incredible. I love you. Daciana loves you. I love you. Your mother would be so proud.  _ I’m _ so proud.  _

After hours upon hours of Thomas’s sobbing and his wife’s quite murmurings, he finally lifted his head to meet Audrey Rose’s gaze. He knew his eyes were red and swollen and that his hair was probably a mess, but he didn’t care. Thomas had a thousand different things he wanted to say to her. 

_ Thank you. I love you. You are perfect. _

But what Thomas said was, “I don’t deserve you.”

Audrey Rose grabbed his face in her hands, brushing his tear stained cheeks with her thumbs. She leaned in, pressing a kiss to the centre of his forehead before resting hers against his. Thomas’s eyes fell shut as Audrey Rose whispered, “you deserve the world, Thomas Cresswell.”

He opened his eyes, stared at her intensely before pressing his lips against hers. All the thousands of things he thought before, he now said; mumbling them against her lips, her neck, her cheeks, anywhere he kissed her.

Eventually, Thomas found himself under the bedsheets with Audrey Rose asleep in his arms snoring softly against his chest. He carefully brushed her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Thomas murmured, “I love you, Audrey Rose Cresswell. My wife, my love, my queen, my salvation,” before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.


	4. "Useless Woman"

Thomas, Uncle, and I had gotten home from Chicago a few days ago and we were working on a new case. However, the last person I wanted to see had also joined. Superintendent William Blackburn. He made his way over to Thomas and I while Uncle was busy looking over some paperwork. 

“Audrey Rose Wadsworth,” Blackburn began, grabbing my ungloved hand in his own and kissing my knuckles. I managed to suppress my disgusted face, replacing it with a smile. I knew Thomas was glaring daggers at him, but I couldn’t say anything without revealing mine and Thomas’s relationship that was still without my father's approval. William continued, “it is always a pleasure.” He turned his attention over to Thomas. “And if it isn’t Thomas Cresswell. I’m honestly shocked they haven’t arrested you for some kind of murder yet.”

“What do you want, Blackburn?” I spoke before Thomas got the chance. Blackburn looked back at me and smirked. The way he smirked was so different from Thomas’s smirk. Thomas’s was loving and charming whereas William’s was dark and lustful. As though he only saw my body when he looked at me. 

Blackburn answered, “I heard about your leg injury from your trip to Chicago and I wanted to see how you were recovering. I’m just being a caring friend, Audrey Rose.”

“Don’t use my Christian name, you know how inappropriate that is. And when have we ever been ‘friends’?” I spoke, not bothering to hide the repulsion in my tone. 

Blackburn continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “this is why we shouldn’t allow women in this field, it’s far too dangerous for them. I mean look what happened to you. A real man like  _ myself _ would’ve never allowed _ this _ to happen to you. Maybe you should consider spending your time with a more...suitable influence.” He had not-so-subtly glanced towards Thomas while he spoke, causing me to bite my lip before I began to yell at him. Instead, I only replied, “I’ll have you know, Blackburn, that my injury isn’t because I’m some useless women, but rather because I jumped in front of a knife to save Thomas’s life.”

He seemed taken aback for a moment before scoffing and saying to Thomas, “how embarrassing for you, you had to be saved by a girl.”

I thought Thomas was going to slap him, but Thomas only replied, “not embarrassed, Blackburn.  _ Honoured _ .” If it was even possible, I managed to fall further in love with him. 

William was silent for a moment, trying to find  _ something _ to insult either of us with and spoke, “Wadsworth, I don’t see a ring on your left hand so why are you referring to Cresswell by his Christian name? I thought you said it was  _ ‘inappropriate’?” _

“Thomas! Audrey Rose! Come look at this for a moment!” Uncle called out in the most convenient moment. Blackburn scowled and began to walk away when I moved my cane slightly, causing him to trip and fall onto the ground. I turned around and in the most innocent, naïve, voice possible said, “oh my! I’m so incredibly sorry! Adjusting the cane has been so difficult, you know? Seeing as I am just some pointless young woman.” 

I turned and began walking in Uncle’s direction, Thomas following beside me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Thomas look back towards Blackburn before leaning down to whisper in my ear, “have I ever told you how much I love you?”

I peeked up and him and smiled. “I do believe so, but I never get tired of hearing it.”

Thomas let out a breathy chuckle and said, “I love you. And if there weren’t so many people around I’d push you up against the wall and kiss you until you forgot your own name.”

My cheeks flushed as we finally made it over to Uncle Jonathan. He quirked a brow and asked, “do either of you know why Superintendent Blackburn is on the floor?”

Thomas and I both shook our heads and shrugged, trying to hide our growing laughter. However unladylike I had been, at least I no longer had to worry about Blackburn wanting to gain my hand in marriage.


	5. Happy Valentine's Day *NSFW*

Audrey Rose sat at her desk when she heard a knock on the door. Turning her head to see who was there, she laid her eyes upon her husband, Thomas Cresswell, and smiled. He flashed her his signature Cresswell smirk before entering their chambers and crossing the distance between them. As he walked, Audrey Rose noticed he held one arm behind his back as though he was hiding something. She raised a brow at him, curiosity written among her features. Thomas stopped directly beside her, resting his hand on the desk and leaning into it. When Audrey Rose was standing, Thomas was already much taller than her, but with her sitting in a chair, his body practically towered over hers—so much so that she had to look completely upwards to see his face. He looked down at her before pressing a chaste kiss to her mouth. “Hello,  Iubirea mea,” Thomas mumbled against her lips in Romanian. 

After they had gotten married nearly a year ago, Thomas had started speaking in the language quite often —usually in different terms of endearment, his favourites being;  dragă, printesa mea, Iubirea mea, and sotia mea. Audrey Rose loved it whenever he spoke Romanian, both because she knew how much it meant to him and because it made him sound even more desirable than usual — if that was even possible.

Audrey Rose asked, “what are you hiding, Thomas?” He then proceeded to reveal what he had been concealing from her sight. It was a card. She cocked her head to the side and Thomas gestured with his chin for her to take the card from his hand, which she then did. The card was beautiful —absolutely stunning. It was painted with multiple shades of dark purples and blues, with accents of white and gold in the shape of— _ constellations _ , Audrey Rose realized. She looked back up at him and inquired, “did you paint this yourself?”

Thomas nodded. “I did indeed. I did the calligraphy myself as well.” Audrey Rose looked back down at the card in her fingertips, taking in all of the intricate details. “Read it,” Thomas instructed after a moment. Audrey Rose opened the card to see elegant black cursive along the page. It read;

_ My dearest Audrey Rose Cresswell,  _

_ Your love is like a scalpel; _

_ sharp, strong and gets under my _

_ handsome skin. _

_ I want you to know that _

_ I love you. _

_ I love you the way parasites love their hosts, _

_ wholly invading and a bit too much. _

_ (Much like this Valentine) _

_ Yours, Thomas Cresswell _

Audrey Rose couldn’t contain the grin spreading across her lips. She swiftly grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him down to meet her lips. Thomas cupped her face in his hands, deepening the kiss. Audrey Rose was the one to pull away. “ Te iubesc,” she whispered in Romanian.

Thomas smiled and replied, “I love you too, Audrey Rose. Even though you pronounced it wrong.” He let out a breathy chuckle, causing her to scoff and roll her eyes. “ _ I  _ wasn’t raised from birth to speak Romanian, unlike  _ someone _ ,” Audrey Rose stated as she poked a finger at his chest accusingly. Thomas only shook his head and laughed before stealing another quick kiss from her. “Fair enough, though I do say it often —” 

Audrey Rose cut him off with a peck. When Thomas pulled back, he saw a card in her hands, but it wasn’t the one he gave her minutes prior. She watched as his brows furrowed with confusion, Audrey Rose only rolling her eyes and teased, “you cannot seriously believe that I wouldn’t get you a Valentine’s Day card of my own, right?” Thomas smiled lightly at her and grabbed the card from her hand. She added, “I’m sorry it doesn’t look as beautiful as the one you gave me.”

Thomas looked up, meeting her gaze. He grabbed her hand, raising it to his mouth to brush a kiss against her knuckles. “You could give me a piece of rubbish and I’d cherish it for the rest of my life, Audrey Rose.” Her cheeks flushed as she watched him silently. She spoke, “open it.” Thomas turned his attention to the card, Audrey Rose taking her hand back from his. Thomas opened it and she remembered word for word what was written:

_ To Thomas, _

_ Roses are red, _

_ Your trousers are black, _

_ You’ve stolen my heart, _

_ And there’s no going back. _

_ I love you.  _

_ Forever yours, Audrey Rose _

Audrey Rose watched as Thomas finished reading. He held the card against his chest, right over his heart and stated, “I will treasure this until the day I die.” She let out a giggle and Thomas smiled at the sound. He raked his fingers through her hair, gently scraping her scalp and cupped her cheek in his palm, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. Audrey Rose watched him, her heart overflowing with love at the sight. Thomas leaned down, kissing her slowly and lazily as if they had they had the rest of their lives to do so. She ran her tongue across his lower lip and Thomas opened his mouth to allow her access. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him down towards her. The kiss swiftly became a heated moment of teeth and tongue, neither complaining. Audrey Rose pried her lips away from his only to ask, “are the servants here?”

Thomas murmured in response, “they’re all with their families for Valentine’s Day. It’s just you and me, love.”

“Good,” was all she said before devouring his lips once more. She stood up from her seat without breaking the kiss, immediately welcomed into Thomas’s embrace. 

They made quick work of their clothes, tossing Audrey Rose’s dress along with Thomas’s jacket and trousers onto a pile on the floor. Thomas’s arms wrapped around her torso, busy undoing the laces of her corset while she unbuttoned his shirt. Once both of the items were removed, they were tossed into the pile with the rest of their clothing. Thomas quickly took off Audrey Rose’s chemise and drawers, leaving kisses all over her body and red marks over her stomach and thighs—even murmuring “ tu ești ceresc,” against the scar on her leg from the Etruria. Once she was completely naked, Audrey Rose removed Thomas’s underwear, her mouth going dry at the sight of his stiff cock. 

They fell back into one another, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Thomas led her towards their bed, their lips only parting when he turned her body to face away from him. Thomas sat on the edge of the bed and tugged Audrey Rose by her waist, into his lap. She could feel his hardness underneath her, making her toes curl in anticipation. “Thomas, what are—” 

Before she could finish her sentence, Thomas’s hands were on her thighs, spreading her legs apart. The cool February air met with the space between her thighs, making her nippes harden. He pressed a kiss to her neck, flicking his tongue over the same spot. “ Dragă, look in the mirror.” Audrey Rose did as she was instructed, just now noticing the mirror in front of them. She watched Thomas’s reflection — watched as he slowly kissed his way up her neck. One of his hands moved to lay flat against her stomach, pressing her to his chest while the other drifted in between her legs. Audrey Rose moaned at the feeling. His fingers ghosted their way around her entrance, light enough to feel him there, but not nearly enough to make her finish. 

Thomas’s fingers repeated the same pattern as he began to speak against her neck, “Audrey Rose,” a kiss to her shoulder. “Printesa mea,” a kiss slighter higher than before. “Frumos,” another kiss. “Regina mea,” a kiss right below her ear. Audrey Rose let out a barely audible gasp of pleasure, but Thomas heard it and chuckled against her skin. “I know what speaking Romanian does to you, _sotia mea_ ,” Thomas whispered seductively, purposefully accentuating his Romanian accent on the words ‘sotia mea’. He continued, “ _esti asa de ud_ , Audrey Rose, and I haven't even touched you yet.” 

She let out a moan in response, “ _ please, Thomas. I need you. _ ”

He smirked against her skin and pecked a kiss directly behind her ear, “so demanding, Audrey Rose. But since you asked so nicely — ” 

A whimper escaped her lips as his pressed his fingers down over her knot, rubbing in smooth slow circles. Audrey Rose gasped in pleasure and dug her nails in the mattress below them. Thomas kept his fingers moving on her while sucking and nipping her neck, leaving bite marks on her skin. After torturous minutes, Audrey Rose felt —and watched in the mirror as Thomas slipped his fingers through her folds. “ _ ești atât de umed, dragă _ ,” he repeated. 

“ _ Thomas _ ,” Audrey Rose whined, throwing her head back against his shoulder and closing her eyes. He nibbled on her ear and whispered in a low, raspy voice, “ watch me touch you, Audrey Rose.” 

Audrey Rose raised her head off of his shoulder and looked back at their reflection. The sight of Thomas’s fingers in between her things made her bite her lower lip. Audrey Rose watched Thomas steadily pushed his index finger inside her, causing her to let out a loud moan as he began pumping it in and out of her at a slow leisurely pace. “You are beautiful, my love,” he whispered.

She writhed in his arms, but Thomas held her firmly in place as he inserted another finger, quickly gaining speed inside her. Audrey Rose was nearly sobbing in his arms when he finally pressed his thumb against her knot and murmured, “ _ vino pentru mine. _ ”  Her climax crashed through her entire body as she yelled, “Thomas!” and came onto his fingers. 

He cradled her body as he slowed down his pace inside her, allowing her to come down from her high before removing his fingers entirely. Audrey Rose turned so she sat sideways across his lap, his arm wrapping around her back to hold her close. She watched as Thomas lifted his fingers—still wet from her, and put them in his mouth, licking them clean. He spoke, “you taste absolutely divine, Audrey Rose.” She blushed and stuffed her face into his neck, clinging onto him and breathing heavily from the wondrous chaos Thomas Cresswell had put her body through. 

After minutes of silence, Audrey Rose removed herself from Thomas’s embrace and stood in front of him. “Stand up,” she commanded, then adding a quick, “please.” 

Thomas stood and watched as Audrey Rose drifted her hand in between her legs and when she brought it back into view, it was visibly wet with her juices. Thomas flashed her a confused expression before her hand gripped his cock, making his eyes widen. “Audrey Rose, you don’t have to—”

“I  _ want  _ to, Thomas. If you will let me?” Thomas swallowed and nodded as Audrey Rose began delicately stroking his shaft with her wet hand. He tipped his head back and shut his eyes, allowing a soft groan to escape his lips. She smirked at the sound and kneeled on the ground before him, her face eye level with his manhood. Thomas looked down to watch her as she continued to stroke him, eventually brushing her thumb over the tip, causing it to twitch slightly. Audrey Rose heard Thomas moan from above her, smirking at him briefly then taking him in her mouth. 

“Audrey Rose, ” he breathed out, his hands finding her soft brunette curls instinctively. His fingers massaged her scalp as her tongue worked on him, licking and scraping her teeth against him. She flicked her tongue against the tip and Thomas moaned. Whatever Audrey Rose couldn’t fit in her mouth, she used her hands on. 

“Audrey Rose I’m gonna —” before he could finish his sentence, Thomas came, spilling himself into her mouth. “Audrey R—” he moaned loud enough that the sound echoed throughout their entire home, possibly the whole estate. Audrey Rose swallowed then giggled around his cock. Thomas pulled out of her mouth and she licked any remains off of his shaft. She stood up directly in front of her husband and flashed him a smug smile. Thomas wiped his thumb across her lower lip, Audrey Rose then watching him lick the remains of himself off of it. She bit her lip at the sight. Thomas pulled her against him, hugging her tightly. “You are incredible,” he murmured in her ear before planting a kiss on the top of her head. Her face was buried deep into his chest, her arms wrapped around his torso. Audrey Rose stood in Thomas’s embrace for minutes, not saying a word—the calm after a perfect storm.

Eventually, she peeked her head out from where it was hidden in Thomas’s body to look up at him. He peered down at her, then pressing a soft kiss to her mouth. Audrey Rose smirked at him and murmured, “catch me if you can,” before swiftly running out of their chambers. Her leg had recovered much better than anticipated from her injury on the Etruria just over two years ago. Uncle Jonathan had originally told her she would need the cane for the rest of her life, but Audrey Rose now only used it a few times a week or if she happened to be walking for a long period of time, which was why she was able to run around the house with Thomas. She still had a minor limp, but that was to be expected.

Audrey Rose heard Thomas’s footsteps chase after her as he chuckled loudly. She ran through the kitchen, down the hallway and into the living room when two arms caught her around the waist, lifting her off of her feet and spinning her around in circles. Audrey Rose laughed along with Thomas as he placed her back to the floor, their lips instantly connected in a hungry kiss. He grabbed the backs of Audrey Rose’s thighs, lifting her into his arms so her legs wrapped his waist. Thomas found the closest wall and pressed Audrey Rose’s back up against it. She arched her neck as Thomas kissed and sucked on her skin, giving him more room and let out a loose moan. Thomas pulled back to look at her face as he asked, “are you sure you want to?”

“You are asking that as though your cock wasn’t in my mouth a mere five minutes ago,” she teased with a playful smirk on her lips. Her voice turned serious as she answered, “of course, I want to, Thomas.” 

He let out a breathy laugh and kissed her. Audrey Rose’s arms held firmly around Thomas’s neck as he slid into her entrance in one long slow thrust while he spoke, “such a foul mouth you have, my dear wife.” 

He gave her a moment to adjust to the size of him inside her before he drove into her hard, pulling back slowly. Audrey Rose arched her back, Thomas then taking the opportunity to flick his tongue over her nipple. She moaned and dug her nails into Thomas’s shoulders—most likely leaving crescent moons on his skin. He continued to suck and bite her nipple as he thrust into her, his pace increasing with every movement. Audrey Rose mumbled out, “ _ more, Thomas _ . I want  _ more _ .”

One of his hands pushed against her back while the other held her buttocks, this making him fit deeper inside her. Audrey Rose kissed and bit her way up Thomas’s chest and neck, leaving a trail of red marks in its wake. “Harder,” Audrey Rose moaned against his skin, and Thomas obliged. She was shaking in his arms, gasps and moans escaping her lips as her climax came over her. Audrey Rose screamed out his name, Thomas’s climax following soon after.

They collapsed onto the floor, Audrey Rose cradled in Thomas’s lap, his cock limp inside her. Her forehead rested against his collarbone as Thomas traced soft circles onto her back, the only sound being their heavy breathing. Audrey Rose shifted slightly so he was no longer inside her and curled even closer to his warm body. She yawned softly and shut her eyes.

Thomas scooped her up in his arms and stood up from the cool floor, carrying her over towards the sofa that sat in front of the fireplace. Placing her back to the floor, Audrey Rose watched as Thomas laid out on the sofa. He raised his arms out towards her, causing her to blush as she crawled into his outstretched arms, laying directly on top of him and cuddling into his chest. She buried her face deep into his neck as he grabbed the blanket folded over the back of the sofa. He tossed the blanket over top of them before wrapping his arms around Audrey Rose’s body. She felt him place a kiss to the top of her head and snuggled impossibly closer. 

“Happy Valentine's Day, Audrey Rose,” Thomas whispered against her hair. She sighed contently and replied, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Thomas.”


	6. Her Whole Heart

Audrey Rose hated many things. She hated tea without a touch of honey, corsets, Thomas Cresswell’s terrible father, but most of all, Audrey Rose hated high class sexist men. 

Many of the fellow Lords or Ladies did not like Audrey Rose or Thomas due to their fascination in science, specifically Audrey Rose’s fascination because of her gender. It made her sick to think about. It definitely did not help when she was surrounded by said high class sexist men at an elegant ball.

Neither Thomas nor Audrey Rose wanted to attend this ball, it was actually quite the opposite. However, despite their wishes, they had to be present in order to gain information on a new case Uncle Jonathan, Thomas, and herself had been working on. Just because they had to be here, didn’t mean they particularly enjoyed it. 

Thomas had wandered off on his own, using his charming features with the intent on gathering knowledge about the victim of the newest unknown killer, leaving Audrey Rose to make conversation by herself. 

She reluctantly stood in a large group, surrounded by many women with large jewelry and excessive gowns as she sipped on a glass of champagne. Audrey Rose hardly listened to the conversation, only paying attention to keywords that could potentially relate to the case. The group around her migrated away, leaving Audrey Rose on her own. 

She wanted to go home. Her feet hurt, her limp was particularly bad, and she missed her darling black cat, Pawdrey Rose.

Feeling a hand on her arm, Audrey Rose turned to lay her eyes upon a slightly older man, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties.

“Audrey Rose? Daughter of Edmund Wadsworth?” the man spoke, only causing Audrey Rose to raise a brow. As far as her memory served, she had never met this man before. 

She nodded slowly and pulled her arm away from the man’s grip, replying, “I—that is correct.” Audrey Rose paused in thought, confusion most certainly evident on her face. “Have we met before?”

The man shook his head. “No, love, we have not. Allow me to introduce myself,” he grabbed the wine glass from her hand and placed it on a waiters tray as he walked past, them grabbing Audrey Rose’s gloves hand in his own. He brushed his lips against her knuckles, causing hair to raise on her arms. The man continued, “my name is Henry Samuels the third, though you may call me Henry.”

Audrey Rose pulled her hand away from his lips. “If we have never met, how do you know who I am?” 

“Ah, my dear, you are the daughter of Edmund Wadsworth, nearly every man knows of your name,” Mr. Samuels spoke and the moment the words left his mouth, Audrey Rose felt disgusted. Despite this, she forced a smile as she nodded. She remained silent, hoping that it would showcase her disinterest in the conversation, but Henry only continued, “do you know how beautiful you are? Those green eyes with your dark hair—truly a stunning combination.”

Audrey Rose’s eyes darted around the room, searching for Thomas.  _ Where is he where is he _ , she thought to herself. Her attention turned back to the man before her, finally answering, “umm, thank you.” She searched for Thomas once more with yet again, no luck. 

Mr. Samuels brought his fingers to her face, brushing them against her cheek. Audrey Rose moved to walk away, but Henry’s hand gripped her arm, tugging him towards his body. She struggled against his grip as he brought his mouth down to hers, only a millimeter away when suddenly, his hand and uncomfortable closeness where gone. Audrey Rose looked up to see Thomas standing beside her. Her heart fell to the floor with relief and a comforting ache to be in his embrace. 

Thomas’s familiar warmth wrapped around her waist as he tugged her into his side, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I have been searching for you everywhere, my darling wife.” 

“And I with you, my love,” Audrey Rose replied, attempting to cover the fear and anxiety present in her voice. 

Mr. Samuels glared intently at Thomas, and in return, Thomas flashed him a look that could kill. The man stormed off within moments. 

Thomas led Audrey Rose an empty space near the wall, pulling her close enough to whisper, “are you alright?”

Audrey Rose nodded. 

“Did he touch you? Audrey Rose, you do not know how badly I wanted to punch him for doing that to you, I—”

She cupped his cheek in her gloved palm, the feeling of him being so close bringing her comfort. “I know, Thomas. I am glad you didn’t.” A pause. “And yes, he held my arm and briefly touched my face before you appeared.” 

Thomas ran a hand through his unruly curls and let out a sigh. “I am so sorry, Audrey Rose.”

She shook her head. “It’s not your fault.”

After moments of silence, Thomas asked softly, “honestly, are you alright?” 

“I’m not entirely sure,” Audrey Rose began. “Did you gather any information about the victim?” 

Thomas tilted his head to the side and spoke, “the case is the least of my concerns at the present moment. All I care about is you. Would you like to go home?” 

“I would, but do we have enough information—”

“Audrey Rose. Would you like to go home?” he repeated. 

She stared into his brown eyes, the eyes she loved so incredibly much and sighed in defeat. “Yes, I would very much like to go home.” 

Thomas moved to cup her cheek, but hesitated. Audrey Rose nodded slightly for him to continue. He brushed his thumb against her skin and rested his forehead against hers. He whispered, “I want you to understand that I do not think you are weak. I think—I  _ know— _ you are the strongest person I’ve ever met and I am immensely blessed to call you my wife. Going home after what he did does not make you any less strong than you were before. I love you.”

A single tear slipped down her cheek. “And I love you. So much.”

***

Thomas helped Audrey Rose into their carriage, then getting in himself. They began to move, Audrey Rose gazing down at her hands in her lap.

“Audrey Rose?”

She looked up at him, chewing on her bottom lip. “Hmm?” 

Thomas reaches out a hand, brushing her hair behind her ear then running his fingers along her jaw. “What is it that you want right now?” 

“I want to be in your arms. The only thing that calms me down is being with you.”

With a ghost of a smile, Thomas opened his arms, Audrey Rose than tucking herself into his chest. He then asked, “anything else?” 

“I want to talk. Not about what happened, but how we usually talk,” she murmured.

Thomas smirked and looked down at her as he ran his fingers along her back. “Are you giving me an excuse to flirt?”

Audrey Rose let out a quiet chuckle and spoke, “indeed. Thank you.” 

After a moment of silence passed, Thomas stated, “you should have hit him with your cane. I would pay to see that.”

Audrey Rose laughed again and looked up at him, replying, “I love you.” 

Thomas smiled and squeezed her lovingly. “I love you too.” 

She reached up, pressing her lips against his in a soft kiss. It was a feeling she would never tire of—kissing Thomas James Dorin Cel Rau Cresswell. Her husband, her partner, her equal, the boy who would always respect her and what she wanted. The boy who she loved with her whole heart. 


	7. S.T.B.W *Modern AU*

Audrey Rose gazed into the mirror of the Victoria’s Secret dressing room, her body scarcely covered in elegant scraps of burgundy lace. The lingerie set included a very sheer bralette—nearly completely showing her nipples, a matching lace thong, and lastly a garter belt made in the same lace as the other two pieces. A strip of lace wrapped around her waist, attached by thin black strips of fabric to two more strips of lace circling each of her tighs. 

Audrey Rose’s hair cascaded down her back in long ebony curls, her green eyes popping against the burgundy colour of the lace. She posed in the mirror, gazing at her reflection. Suddenly, Audrey Rose was struck with a brilliant idea. A smirk on her lips, she grabbed her phone from her purse and began taking pictures of her reflection, making sure everything was visible on her body—including her nipples. After Audrey Rose’s camera roll was filled with a few dozen photos of her reflection, she swiped through her options and selected the best one.

One of her legs was positioned forward, flattering her figure by accentuating her long lean legs. An arm rested along the side of her body while the other was bent and holding her phone, taking the picture. On the hand holding her phone laid the large diamond ring Thomas had given to her when he had asked her to marry him only a few weeks ago, the ring shining brightly in the picture. Audrey Rose wore a soft smile in the photo, her chin angled only slightly to the side. She had to admit, the photo was stunning. The pose had been effortless, merely Audrey Rose having fun, but it appeared as though she was just naturally photogenic. 

Audrey Rose quickly deleted all the other photos from her camera roll, leaving only one. She opened her texting app and clicked on her most recent contact, Thomas Cresswell—or as his name was in her phone, “my heart” followed by the crown emoji and the red heart emoji. Audrey Rose clicked on the lingerie picture and sent it along with a text only saying, “enjoy”.

Within a mere 15 seconds, the “read” receipt appeared on her phone screen, confirming that Thomas had seen the picture. Audrey Rose eagerly anticipated his response—eager to see exactly what her picture had done to him.

Her phone vibrated in her palm, bringing her attention back to the screen. She opened her fiance’s text, expecting to see an indecent picture of his own, however, Audrey Rose was only met with a picture of him pouting with the text, “I wish I could cuddle you rn”.

Despite feeling slightly disappointed with the photo she received, Audrey Rose saved it to her camera roll regardless because her fiance was adorable no matter what. Feeling bold, Audrey Rose replied, “you can send me a picture of your dick, Cresswell. I won’t complain” followed by another text, “I want to see what my naked pictures do to you”.

Audrey Rose watched as the speech bubble with three dots appeared on her screen, indicating that Thomas was typing. She waited only a few moments when his next text appeared, “if you insist”. Audrey Rose bit her lower lip as the next text came through, this time another picture. 

The picture was only of Thomas’s face and he was grinning, dimples visible on both of his cheeks. Audrey Rose saved the photo before replying, “???”.

The typing bubble appeared once again, this time much longer than the previous. She raised a brow in curiosity and decided to return her gaze to the mirror before her, admiring the view. Audrey Rose was never confident in her appearance, however, she was never self-conscious either. Thomas Cresswell never failed to remind her how beautiful she was, but it wasn’t until moments like these by herself, just her and her body, where she truly understood what Thomas saw when he looked at her. Audrey Rose felt beautiful.

She felt her phone vibrate once again, unlocking her phone to read, “you told me to send you a picture of what your naked body does to me and it makes me smile because you’re so magnificent and I love you”.

Audrey Rose blushed furiously as a large smile graced her face. She moved to type a response when her phone vibrated once again. Another picture appeared on her screen, this time it was a picture of Thomas’s naked boner with a text underneath it saying, “and this too”.

Audrey Rose let out a breathy chuckle and responded, “god I love you so much” followed by an array of heart themed emojis—at the very least a dozen. 

Thomas texted back, “and I love you, my stbw” with the classic heart-eyed emoji.

Audrey Rose looked at her phone screen, confusion evident on her face as she texted, “what does stbw mean?”

When she read Thomas’s reply, Audrey Rose could only roll her eyes. His text said, “soon to be wife”.

A text—“you are insufferable”

Another text—“but you love me”

Audrey Rose sighed with a content smile as she answered, “that I do, my love”.


	8. Heavenly Desires *NSFW* (Part 1)

Thomas couldn’t sleep. It was 2 o’clock in the morning, yet sleep failed to come upon him—even in the late hour. Tossing and turning beside him, it appeared as though his wife, Audrey Rose, could not sleep either. She buried her face into Thomas’s naked chest, his arms wrapping around her instinctively. 

“Can’t sleep?” he asked quietly. Audrey Rose only nodded, pressing her face further into his body. Thomas ran light fingers up and down her back and murmured, “neither can I.” 

He waited for a response and when none came he shut his eyes, taking a deep breath. Audrey Rose moved, causing Thomas to look down at her. Her gaze met with his as she stated, “you should paint me since neither of us can sleep. I have wanted you to paint me nude for quite some time now, so why not take the opportunity?” 

Thomas choked on air, causing him to clear his throat.  _ Paint me nude, _ he repeated in his head, trying to comprehend what Audrey Rose had just said. “Pardon?” Thomas finally managed though his voice was strained when he spoke.

Audrey Rose giggled softly and declared, “I want you to paint me naked, Thomas.” 

He only continued to stare at her, studying her face—attempting to deduce what should have been the obvious. “I...I cannot tell if you’re being serious.” She pressed a kiss to his mouth, murmuring against his lips, “I’m  _ very  _ serious.”

After a moment of contemplation, Thomas nodded and spoke, “you asked and so you shall receive, my love.” 

Audrey Rose grinned and quickly untangled herself from the bedsheets, limping her way to their bathing chamber. Her limp had healed quite well over the years since the accident on the Etruria, but her limp was still there—most likely never leaving. As much as Thomas hated seeing her limp, it made him proud of how strong and independent she was. Audrey Rose only used the cane when they were out in public, but around their home, it was hardly a necessity.

The bathing chamber door shut with a small click. Thomas began getting out all of his art supplies—his easel, paintbrushes, palette, paints, canvas, a pencil, and a small bowl of water—and set them up directly across the room from their bed. After that was finished, Thomas carefully made the bed, smoothing the sheets and fluffing the pillows to look presentable. 

Audrey Rose appeared from the bathing chamber, immediately catching Thomas’s attention. She took a step into the room, her eyes never straying from his own. He watched as Audrey Rose’s nightgown slipped down her body, landing in a pile at her feet, leaving her completely naked. Her hair was down in long dark curls, the only thing providing her with the smallest amount of decency. Her mother’s necklace dangled in between her breasts and her wedding ring sat on her left hand, the only things left on her body. Thomas swallowed at the sight. 

Audrey Rose stepped out of the gown and asked, “how do you want me, Thomas?”

He pictured taking her in  _ other ways _ , but suppressed those thoughts enough to respond, “whichever way is most comfortable for you.” 

Thomas moved over to his easel and sat on his stool. Meanwhile, Audrey Rose limped towards their bed, sitting on the edge and pulled all of her hair over her right shoulder, her hair cascading over her breast. Her hands rested on either side on her thighs, flat against the bed beneath her. 

Thomas grabbed his pencil, assuming that had been Audrey Rose’s position of choice, but her legs slowly began to spread until he could see  _ everything.  _ Thomas raised his brows in shock. 

“Is this good?” Audrey Rose asked, her voice sounding so incredibly innocent considering her current position.

Thomas could only manage a nod as he turned his attention to the canvas before him, taking a deep breath before beginning to sketch out Audrey Rose’s figure. These lines were far from perfect, he only used them as guidelines showing him where to paint later. He quickly sketched the shape of her face—her eyes, lips, and nose. Next, her neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. Then moving back to her torso where he sketched the shape of her breasts and waist, and finally, her legs and feet. Thomas moved his pencil back up to her face, adding a few lines to indicate where her hair would go. 

Thomas began with the background, a technique he had learned from his mother.  _ Work from the background to the foreground, Tommy love. It will turn out more realistic that way,  _ he recalled her saying once, though the memory now was nothing more than a faded voice in his head. The nickname “Tommy” was a name only his mother had ever used for him—a name that Thomas had hated. He remembered telling his mother over and over again how much he disliked being called Tommy, but she never stopped. Now every time he heard the nickname—which was quite frequently due to how common the name Thomas was—it made him think of his mother. He smiled softly at the thought.

He put his pencil away and grabbed some of his paints, squeezing out multiple colours onto his palette. Using shades of white and grey, Thomas grabbed one of his paintbrushes and began painting the small amount of the bed visible in the painting as well as the cream coloured walls. He added small details of muted browns and yellows throughout to add texture, and shades of grey for shading.

No matter how hard he tried, Thomas couldn’t help his gaze repeatedly drifting from their bed and walls to Audrey Rose’s body. 

Her exposed breast. 

Her long legs. 

Her entrance, fully on display.

Even though Thomas knew it was impossible, he thought he was going to combust from the sight. He shook the thought from his head, finishing up the final details of the background before starting  _ her _ . He mixed a few shades on his palette to create a warm light brown colour for Audrey Rose’s skin, using the shade to fill in the entire outline he had sketched out earlier. This was just the basic layer for her skin, he would go back in later to add shading and specific details on her body. 

Thomas began with her eyes. He had painted her eyes many times before—to the point where he had them memorized. He knew exactly where every small flicker of gold laid within her emerald irises, mixing the exact shades on his paint palette before dabbing the pigment onto the large canvas. Thomas used a warm brown to add the hollow crease above her eye, giving the painting dimension. He then grabbed a very thin brush and dipped it into the black paint on his palette, adding in her eyelashes.

Once he had finished painting her eyes—everything except the highlights—Thomas moved onto her eyebrows, nose, and lips. Faces weren’t something Thomas struggled with because of how frequently he painted them, specifically Audrey Rose’s. He began with her eyebrows, using the same brush and paint colour that he used for her eyelashes. Thomas flicked thin lines in upwards motions tightly packed side by side in order to create the illusion of hairs for her eyebrows. The overall shape of brows were relatively straight with a slight arch towards the outer edges of her face.

Thomas cleaned off his brush and set it aside, grabbing a slightly larger one. He dabbed the brush into a warm brown and began painting her nose. Once the main shape was finished, he grabbed a slightly darker brown and painted her nostrils. 

Next, Thomas moved down to Audrey Rose’s lips. He grabbed a small brush and mixed a pink shade onto his palette. As Thomas looked at her lips for reference, he desperately wanted to kiss her. Well he wanted to do much  _ more  _ than kiss her, but looking at her perfect, soft, lips, made Thomas picture those lips around his—

Thomas felt his underwear become tight as his cock hardened with lust. His face flushed with embarrassment and guilt. Audrey Rose may have been nude, but this was still a painting she had requested him to do for her—and he intended on doing it well. Thomas didn’t want his own desires to interfere with that. He moved to cover the bulge in his lap with his paint palette when he heard, “take your underwear off, I want to see it.”

Thomas stared at her blankly for a moment. He knew exactly what “it” referred to and swallowed, standing up from his stool and placing his paint palette on top of it. His eyes met with Audrey Rose’s as he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his underwear. 

Thomas hesitated, waiting to see if she wanted to change her mind. When Audrey Rose didn’t speak, he pulled his underwear down. Thomas sighed at the freeing feeling and stepped out of the garment, tossing it onto the floor. Audrey Rose licked her lips as she stared at him, eyeing him up and down, her gaze lingering on his cock. Thomas’s own gaze dropped down in between her thighs, noticing she was slightly wet.  _ It appears as though I’m not the only one being aroused by this,  _ Thomas thought to himself. He grabbed his paint palette and sat back on the stool.

Thomas brought his paintbrush to the canvas and painted her lips, forcing his mind elsewhere. Once her lips were filled with the muted pink colour, he grabbed a tiny brush and used a slightly darker shade to add the creases and shading. Thomas cleaned the brush and placed it to the side, grabbing a relatively large one instead as he moved down to her neck. 

He began painting the contours of her neck with a light brown paint, all the way down to her shoulders. He painted her collarbones and any other shaded areas he needed to complete from her bust up, including her cheekbones and jaw. Thomas set the brush down and grabbed a clean thinner one, more suited for details and dipped it into a silver shade, painting Audrey Rose’s signature necklace—one of the very few things she had left of her mother.

Next was her breast, the only exposed one of the two. He took a deep breath as he stared at Audrey Rose for reference. He used the same brush and colour from her neck to shade the undersides of her breasts, as well as the valley between them—making sure to avoid the locket he just painted. Thomas looked back at Audrey Rose, staring at her breast. He pictured flicking his tongue over her nipple, tugging and sucking on it as he palmed her other breast in his hand. He felt a bead of liquid drip down his shaft and instantly knew Audrey Rose had seen it.

Thomas only continued to paint as if nothing happened. He grabbed a medium sized brush and mixed a few shades of red, brown, and white together to create a shade that matched her nipple before painting it on the centre of her breast.

Thomas took hold of the brush used for her neck once more and moved down to her arms. He painted on the shadows cast by the lighting in their chambers, all the way down to her hands. Hands were one of the hardest things to paint in his opinion, causing him to pay more attention to detail and using a small brush to paint it. 

Once he had finished one hand, he moved on to the other, carefully adding every crease of her fingers. Thomas grabbed a small clean paintbrush, dipping it into the same shade of silver he used for her necklace. He painted her wedding ring—a line around the fourth finger on her left hand then painting the relatively large diamond on top in a pale blue pigment. Thomas then added a few spots of white using a very small brush to showcase the shine and value of the ring.

Nearly halfway done her hand, Thomas heard a loud moan. Looking to see what the cause of the noise was, he quirked a brow. Thomas laid his eyes upon Audrey Rose only to see her head tossed back and two of her fingers pressed against her knot, rubbing in smooth slow circles. His cock twitched at the sight. Biting his lip, Thomas spoke, “you’re making it very difficult to concentrate, my love.”

“That’s the point.”

He watched her intently as her fingers worked on herself, the way her mouth opened and closed in pleasure. Thomas would have been satisfied just watching her touch herself for the rest of his life. With his manhood practically throbbing from lust, he turned his attention back to the canvas, continuing to paint her hand.

After only a few minutes of silence, he heard Audrey Rose moan out, “ _ Thomas _ .”

Despite knowing it was better not to look, Thomas did. He placed his paintbrush and palette down, crossing his arms over his chest and watched her. His eyes lingered on her entrance, seeing now visibly wet she was as Audrey Rose pushed a finger inside herself. She allowed herself another moan and Thomas definitely wasn’t complaining. 

As badly as he wanted to cross the short distance between them, Thomas just so happened to enjoy the sight of his wife touching herself in front of him. “You look absolutely divine, darling,” he smirked—more so to himself due to the fact that Audrey Rose’s eyes were closed—and ran his hand across his jaw. “Open your eyes, my love. I want you to see how hard I am for you.”

She obliged, lifting her head and opening her eyes, whimpering at the sight of him—his strong arms crossed over his chest, his cock hard and fully on display. “Thomas,” she called out for him, not quite a moan but not her regular speaking voice either. 

Thomas added, “you don’t know how badly I want to sheath myself inside you and make you come my beautiful, intelligent, brilliant, wife.”

He watched as Audrey Rose pushed a second finger inside of herself, pumping them at a steady pace. She was nearly sobbing from the wondrous feeling, a sight Thomas wanted to remember for the rest of his life. 

“I want to pleasure you,  _ sotia mea _ , until we’re nothing more than a mess of moaning, tangled, limbs on the floor,” he continued. Audrey Rose came onto her fingers, screaming out Thomas’s name. He smirked in satisfaction and approval when he felt another drop of liquid fall down the length of his shaft. 

Thomas waited until Audrey Rose had come down from her high—watching her heavy gasps for air turn into a steady breathing pattern—before turning back to the canvas. He finished the final details of the hand he had been working on, then moving onto her torso with the large brush he used for the shading of her neck. 

Thomas added shading onto the sides of her midsection as well as a small circle in the centre of her abdomen to create her navel. Despite being finished her torso on the painting, Thomas continued to look at Audrey Rose’s abdomen. Her stomach was so unlike his own, hers—soft and smooth, whereas his was strong and hard. Audrey Rose often commented on how peculiar it was that his abdomen was so muscular despite only ever eating sweets. Thomas smiled as his thoughts drifted back to her, tracing patterns onto her perfect skin, trailing kisses up her body. 

Thomas moved onto her entrance—now soaking wet from her climax. His cock twitched at the sight.

Despite wanting— _ needing _ —an excuse to stare at her entrance, Thomas knew his self-control was wearing thin. Very thin, indeed. Instead of putting himself through the torture of painting  _ that  _ body part before finishing the rest of the painting, he opted to save it for later. 

Thomas moved down to her legs. Her legs—long and lean and a beautiful, honey brown colour. Images flashed in his head of their first Valentine’s Day as a married couple. Her legs wrapping around his waist, Thomas shoving her against the wall as he made her scream in pleasure. 

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Thomas made fast work of her feet on the canvas, not bothering to spend much time on either of them. Next came her calves, smooth and soft, then the bend of her knee and lastly, her thighs. Thomas loved her thighs. He loved tracing his finger along her bare skin, resting his hand on one, holding the undersides of them while she was in his arms. Thomas also loved what laid in between her thighs. 

He loved tasting her—feasting upon her, but one thing he loved even more so was placing kisses on the insides of her thighs, the skin soft and smooth. The only exception to this, however, was Audrey Rose’s scar from the Etruria—a scar Thomas both loved and despised. 

Audrey Rose’s scar meant many things to him. It represented her courage and bravery, how incredibly strong she was, and her love for him. The scar was proof that she loved  _ him _ , not Mephistopheles. A part of Thomas felt guilty for loving her scar due to such selfish reasons when the accident itself was nearly fatal and caused permanent damage, but it wasn’t until Audrey Rose jumped in front of Andreas’s knife that Thomas finally understood that Audrey Rose Wadsworth loved him. 

Thomas forced his mind elsewhere and he continued to paint. He used soft strokes of his paintbrush in order to accurately mimic Audrey Rose’s delicate yet powerful thighs. Once Thomas had made it back to her entrance—still wet with the remains of her climax, he couldn’t bring himself to paint it, knowing he still had her hair to paint and the final touches of the overall portrait.

He began by grabbing a clean small sized brush, dipping it into the black paint. Thomas started from her scalp and gently dragged the bristles down the canvas to create loose curls. He repeated this motion, dipping into the ebony paint after every strand of hair he painted onto the canvas. This part of the painting process always took the longest due to the amount of detail and accuracy required. 

Thomas loved Audrey Rose’s hair. He loved running his fingers through it, taking the pins out only to watch her curls cascade down her body during elegant occasions, fisting his hands into her hair as she worked her mouth on him—tugging at the dark strands. He especially loved when Audrey Rose wore her hair down. It made her appear much more vulnerable and somehow much more  _ her _ . 

After quite some time of painting her hair, Thomas finished it off with a few short hairs to frame her face. Instantly, he knew what was next. 

There was no more stalling. 

The only thing left to paint was Audrey Rose’s brightly flushed entrance.

Within the first stroke of his paintbrush, Thomas felt absolutely indecent, yet he found himself not particularly caring. Painting Audrey Rose’s entrance was high on the list of the most scandalous acts Thomas had committed and most individuals would feel shameful for such acts, however, Thomas only felt exhilarated. He looked over at her for reference, memorizing every single fold and detail. 

Thomas thought he was going to combust.

The desire and lust gathering inside of himself only made him paint faster, the need to feel her around him—taste her, hold her, nearly drove him mad. Thomas laid down a layer of pink for her swollen folds—he would go back in later to add the intricate details with a slightly darker shade. He was well aware that Audrey Rose watched him and that she most certainly knew exactly what part of her body he was currently painting. 

Thomas took a deep breath and grabbed a thin paintbrush, cleaning it off with water. He mixed a very tiny amount of brown into the pink shade on his palette, the colour now a slightly deeper and muted shade of pink. Thomas looked at Audrey Rose then brought his brush to the canvas, shading in the folds of her entrance. He worked slower than he would have liked, knowing that if he rushed this part, it could ruin the entire painting. These lines had to be detailed and neat, not something he could rush to finish—even though his cock thought otherwise.

“You’re taking too long.”

Thomas responded, not even bothering to look away from the canvas, “art takes time, darling. Especially when capturing your beauty.”

“I  _ need _ you, Thomas.  _ Please _ .”

Thomas didn’t respond. He didn’t need any more distractions—especially when so close to finishing the entire painting.  _ Only a few more lines of shading, then a few dabs of white for highlights,  _ Thomas thought to himself. Then—only then—would he finally plunge himself into Audrey Rose and pleasure her until the only thing she could remember was his name. 

Finishing the final fold, Thomas cleaned off his paintbrush and dipped it into the white paint, immediately placing the pigment on the highlights of her features or in this case—the wet parts of her entrance. This final step was both very easy but made a crucial difference. Without it, the painting seemed flat or dull, but after the flecks of white, the painting came to life. Thomas quickly added highlights to her eyes and the high points of her skin—like her collarbone and shoulders. He took a step back, gazing his eyes over the entire painting, checking for any final touches that needed to be done. 

But there was none.

The painting was finished. 

Thomas crossed the distance between himself and Audrey Rose within three long strides, not even bothering to tell her that he was finished the portrait. He pushed her down against the bed, pinning her wrists above her head. 

Instantaneously, his lips were on her neck, biting and kissing and sucking at her skin. Audrey Rose whimpered as she arched her neck, giving Thomas’s lips more room to explore. He kissed his way down her chest, sucking and tugging on her nipple as he palmed her other breast in his hand. Thomas groaned and flicked his tongue over her nipple before continuing down her body. He let go of her wrists, gripping her waist instead as he kissed the plain of her stomach. Thomas moved his lips to the left and sucked on her skin, pulling with his teeth. Audrey Rose moaned as she brought her fingers to his hair, gripping and tugging at the strands.    
  


Thomas kissed down her abdomen to her thighs, leaving marks in his wake. He spread her legs apart, noticing that she was wet. Thomas kissed the inside of her thighs, biting and nipping at her skin. Audrey Rose was practically squirming underneath him. His lips devoured her skin as he made his way back up her body, kissing her hard once he made it to her lips. Thomas poured all the love and adoration he could into the kiss, their mouths a battle of teeth and tongue—though neither complained. Audrey Rose whined against his mouth as Thomas sheathed himself inside her. 

His thrusts were hard and fast, the opposite of what they were used to. Usually, Thomas took his time worshiping her as though she were a goddess and he a very bad sinner, exploring every aspect of her body, but  _ this _ . 

This was something entirely different. 

This was rough and powerful and fast, but  _ saints _ it felt good. The sounds Audrey Rose made beneath him were like music to his ears. Her moans, gasps, whines, groans, whimpers. Audrey Rose pulled their lips apart and made one of those sounds. “ _ More more more,”  _ she murmured as her lips and tongue found his chest. 

Thomas grabbed her rear, shoving himself deeper inside of her.  _ More more more,  _ her words echoed in his head. He’d do anything for her and if his wife wanted more, he would give her more. 

He kissed down the side of her neck, down to her breast. He tugged on her nipple and Audrey Rose let out a moan, “Harder, Thomas,  _ harder _ .” 

Thomas obliged. He drove himself into her with all the force he could muster. Audrey Rose screamed in pleasure, Thomas feeling her climax around him. His thrusts continued at a rapid pace as Audrey Rose’s climax began to calm down. She breathed heavily onto his shoulder, digging her fingernails into his arms. 

Thomas bit her skin, only a few inches above her breast as his thumb pressed against her knot, rubbing in hard circles. Audrey Rose gasped before moaning loudly, “Thomas!” as another orgasm crashed through her. 

Thomas came with her name on his lips, spilling himself into her. His thrusts began to slow down as both of their climaxes drifted away. Thomas collapsed on top of Audrey Rose, his face burying deep into her shoulder. He didn’t bother pulling out of her. 

Only the sound of their heavy breathing filled the room, both of them dripping in sweat. Audrey Rose dug her face into his chest and murmured, “that was incredible, my love.”

“It wasn’t too much, was it?” Thomas asked, pulling back to look at her face.

“No. No, Thomas, it was perfect.  _ You  _ are perfect.”

Thomas laid on top of her, staring down at Audrey Rose, just admiring her—wondering what he ever did to deserve her. After minutes, he still couldn’t think of an answer. He sighed and raised himself only to pull out of Audrey Rose. She hissed softly and Thomas immediately looked down at her in concern.

“Love, are you alright?”

Audrey Rose nodded and caressed her thumb across his cheekbone. “I’m fine, just a little sore.”

“It was too hard, wasn’t it? Goodness, Audrey Rose, I am—”

She lifted her chin, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “Stop apologizing. I promise, I loved every moment of it. I…I think that’s the best it has ever felt, Cresswell.”

Thomas didn’t quite believe her but was too tired to state otherwise. He only placed gentle kisses down the length of her body until he was eye level with her soaking entrance. He noticed how red and swollen it looked. With one stroke of his tongue, her juices were gone. Thomas licked his lips and met her gaze from between her thighs. 

“Does it hurt?”

“It’s...sensitive, but I wouldn’t say it hurts.”

“It looks like it hurts.”

“I’m alright, Thomas. I promise.” 

He placed a delicate kiss on the inside of her thigh before making his way back up her body. Thomas rolled onto his back, pulling Audrey Rose with him, her head laying on his chest. Within moments, she was asleep in his arms, snoring softly against his skin. 

Thomas pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered, “goodnight, my wife.”

He pulled the covers over top the both of them and tucked Audrey Rose’s head under his chin before drifting into a peaceful slumber.

***

Thomas awoke to the sound of soft snores against his chest. Opening his eyes, he was met with Audrey Rose’s sleeping figure practically on top of him. He smiled and gently ran his fingers through her knotted dark hair, pushing it out of her face. Thomas pressed a kiss to her hairline and silently untangled her limbs from his own. He carefully got out of the bed, turning back to admire his wife.

_ My wife,  _ Thomas thought to himself.  _ I’m the one who gets to wake up with her in my arms every morning and fall asleep next to her every night. I’m the one who gets to love her and kiss her and cherish her. I’m the one she chose. _

It was something Thomas had to remind himself of often. That this was real,  _ she  _ was real. And that she was his, as he was hers. Complete equals in every way.

Finally, Thomas pried his eyes from Audrey Rose, instead, tossing on a white buttoned shirt and black trousers. He made his way from their bedroom, through the estate to the kitchen where he managed to find one of the maids. “Ah, Sofia. Just the woman I was looking for,” Thomas began.

“Good morning, Mr. Cresswell,” Sofia greeted.

Thomas continued, “could you do me a favour and inform the rest of the staff that you all will be allowed the day off? Audrey Rose isn’t feeling very well and would like some privacy.”

The maid placed a hand against her chest in concern and asked, “my goodness, is Lady Cresswell alright? Shall I call a nurse?”

Thomas shook his head, “that will not be necessary, Sofia. Audrey Rose is merely feeling a little under the weather. No nurse will be required.”

“Well, um, I will make sure the rest of the maids and servants know. I hope Mrs. Cresswell feels better soon,” Sofia spoke.

“As do I. Thank you,” Thomas replied. Sofia nodded her head once in a silent farewell before turning to walk the other direction. Thomas’s voice stopped her when he added, “could you also stop by Jonathan Wadsworth’s lab and inform him that Audrey Rose nor I will be attending today, due to her current state?”

Sofia nodded, “of course, Lord Cresswell.”

“You do not need to call me Lord, you’ve known me since I first learned to walk. Thomas is fine,” he spoke. Thomas hated being called Lord. Most of the staff had known him since infancy and felt more like family than his employees, but due to how his father had treated them, they refused to call him Thomas, using only his formal titles instead.

The maid crossed her arms over her chest, fidgeting with the sleeves of her dress and responded, “and you do not need to call me Sofia, my last name is fine. So, I guess we are even.” 

Thomas scoffed a laugh and smiled at her before Sofia exited the room. He made his way back upstairs to his and Audrey Rose’s private bathing chamber, removing his shirt once he had shut the door. Bracing his hands on either side of the sink, Thomas gazed into the mirror and let out a sigh. He ran his finger through his hair in an attempt to control the unruly wavy curls on his head. Thomas turned on the sink and cupped the water in his hands before splashing it on his face. He turned, grabbing a towel and patting his face dry when he felt something rub up against his ankle. 

Looking down at his feet, Thomas saw their black cat, Pawdrey Rose. He leaned down, lifting the feline into his arms. Thomas had gotten Pawdrey Rose a little less than a year into his and Audrey Rose’s marriage, without telling Audrey Rose beforehand, of course. Once he had convinced Audrey Rose to let them keep the cat, Thomas had insisted on naming her Pawdrey Rose. Not only was it a clever joke, but it referenced the one thing Thomas loved most—his wife. Pawdrey Rose snuggled into his chest as she purred softly, Thomas then placing a kiss to the cat’s head. She meowed loudly as he scratched behind her ear. 

“I know, Pawdrey Rose. Mama is still asleep,” — another meow — “I know, darling. I miss her too, but she’s resting.” 

The cat purred against his chest as Thomas placed another kiss to her head. He set her back on the floor and within moments, the cat was gone. 

By the time Thomas finished in the bathing chamber, the servants and maids had all left, leaving the estate peacefully quiet. He took in the unusual silence for a moment before heading back to his and Audrey Rose’s sleeping chambers. His wife was still asleep on their bed, her arms wrapped around Thomas’s pillow—her face pressed against it.  _ It must smell like me,  _ Thomas smirked at the thought. He quickly grabbed what he had come into the room for—the now dry painting of Audrey Rose—and left their sleeping chambers.

Thomas carried the relatively large painting to his study located on the lower level of the estate. The study was extravagant. Many paintings of Audrey Rose covered the walls—all of which with clothes on. As much as Thomas wanted to hang the naked portrait of his wife in his study for everyone to see, he deemed that it wouldn’t be very decent and most likely frowned upon, so he opted to hang it in his secret study, a place only he and Audrey Rose knew about.

Thomas’s main study had a secret door hidden behind one of the bookcases, a doorway he had found when he was a child. Thomas wasn’t even sure if his father had known about the room. It wasn’t very large, but it had enough room for a desk and a wall of bookshelves. As a boy, Thomas came into the secret study when he didn’t want to face his father or when he wanted to study forensics without his father’s knowledge. Now the room was more commonly used for his and Audrey Rose’s scandalous moments to ensure that the staff wouldn’t hear their moans. Thomas shook his head with a chuckle.

He thought back to when he and Audrey Rose were merely 17 and how nothing about the way they acted around each other had changed since. They were both just as in love then as they were now at age 20 and 21. Thomas doubted this was something that would ever change.

He placed the nude portrait of Audrey Rose on his desk and took down the painting that was currently above the piece of furniture. It happened to be the painting he made for Audrey Rose way back in Romania all those years ago. The memory warmed his heart. Thomas placed the old painting down and replaced it with the new one, hanging it directly above his desk. He admired his art for a moment, staring at every detail of Audrey Rose’s body when he heard a voice from behind him—

“Thomas?”

He turned to see his wife standing in the doorway. The second he saw her, he smiled. Audrey Rose only wore one of his white buttoned shirts, however, the buttons weren’t done up, letting Thomas see that she wore no clothes underneath. The shirt was large enough on her small frame to cast a shadow on her body, the only thing preventing Thomas from seeing her completely.

He raised an arm out to her and slowly limped her way over to where he stood, tucking herself into his side. Thomas wrapped his arms around her shoulders to hold her close, pressing a kiss to her hair.

“Good morning, my darling husband,” Audrey Rose murmured.

“Good morning, my beautiful wife,” Thomas mimicked lovingly.

Audrey Rose looked up towards him and quirked a brow. “Where are all the servants?”

Thomas replied, “I told them they could have the day off because you weren’t feeling well. I assumed you probably didn’t want company after everything last night. I hope you don’t mind.”

Audrey Rose shook her head, “that is exactly what I wanted, thank you.”

Thomas tugged her from his side to his front, hugging her tightly against his body. Her arms wrapped his torso as she dug her face into his chest. “How are you feeling?” Thomas asked against the top of her head.

Audrey Rose sighed and answered, “Sore. Very sore. I could hardly get out of bed to come find you. Walking down the stairs was a nightmare.”

Thomas pulled back completely, not a single part of his body touching hers. “I was right, I was too rough last night, Wadsworth. I am—”

“Stop apologizing. And it’s  _ Cresswell _ , not Wadsworth,” Audrey Rose said with a smirk, but Thomas’s expression didn’t change.  _ I hurt her,  _ Thomas thought. _ I’m the reason she’s in pain. _ He felt guilty, so incredibly guilty. “But Audrey Rose—"

“Thomas, I’m fine, truly. I feel amazing,” she stated.

He countered, “you can hardly walk, darling.”

“I can hardly walk on a regular day due to my limp, this is not anything new,” Audrey Rose teased.

Thomas cocked his head to the side, “I’m being serious, love. You’re in pain.”

“The pain doesn’t matter to me because I know why it’s there. I feel my sore muscles and I remember  _ why  _ they are sore. I think of you telling—and showing me how much you love me. I think of you kissing me and touching me and loving me. The pain is only a reminder of your love, Thomas. And how much I love you,” Audrey Rose spoke.

Thomas remained silent, not knowing what to say. Just because Audrey Rose didn’t resent the pain, didn’t stop him from resenting it. Thomas had a list of his least favourite things and the top two places were taken by his father and seeing Audrey Rose in pain. He raised his hand up to her face, hesitating to cup her cheek in his palm.

Audrey Rose noticed the hesitation and whispered, “touch me.”

Thomas obliged, delicately holding her face in his hand. He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. The kiss was soft and full of love. They pulled back simultaneously, Thomas then resting his forehead against hers. Audrey Rose pulled back completely and turned in his arms, leaning back into his chest with a sigh. Thomas placed his chin on her shoulder, both of their gazes on the naked painting from the previous night.

“Is that really what I look like?” asked Audrey Rose. Thomas nodded and pressed a chaste kiss to her neck. She continued, “even…you know?” A giggle escaped her lips from embarrassment and Thomas thought he could die from the sound.

“Down to every single fold and detail,” he answered. They both laughed and Thomas held Audrey Rose closer. Eventually, their laughter died down into a calming quiet.

Audrey Rose took a deep breath and stated, “it looks absolutely stunning, Thomas.”

“ _ You  _ are absolutely stunning,” Thomas flirted against her neck. Without even seeing her face, he knew she rolled her eyes at him. Thomas added in a serious tone with flushed cheeks, “thank you.”

They both stared at the painting in silence until Thomas asked, “do you want me to run a bath for you, my love?”

“Only if you’ll join me.”

Thomas kissed her neck in response. Audrey Rose moved to leave his embrace, but he hooked an arm under her knees, scooping her up into his arms. Thomas carried her through the estate, upstairs to their bathing chambers and placed Audrey Rose back to the floor.

“You do not need to carry me everywhere, Thomas,” Audrey Rose said.

He shrugged, “I know, but I like holding you.” Audrey Rose only shook her head with a smile.

Thomas pulled down his trousers and underwear, tossing them onto the floor before turning towards the bathtub. He turned the faucet on, filling the tub with hot water. When he faced his wife once again, her— _ his _ shirt she had been wearing, was no longer on her body and she was staring at her naked reflection in the mirror. Audrey Rose noticed his staring, turning to face him.

Thomas’s jaw dropped, his lips forming an ‘O’. He felt like he was going to be sick, for Audrey Rose was covered in red marks and bruises—ones that  _ he _ had given her. Her abdomen, her thighs, her wrists, her neck, her breasts, her shoulders—everywhere. Thomas felt guilty enough about her pain, but actually seeing what he had done—he felt terrible. “Audrey Rose, love, you’re covered…”

She glanced at her reflection briefly then back at Thomas. “Is it odd I have never felt more beautiful?”

“You are always beautiful no matter what.”

He took a tentative step towards her, then another, and another, until he was directly before her. He grabbed her waist as his eyes scanned over her body, starting at the bottom and slowly working his way up. Her thighs had a few minor red marks, though those weren’t out of the ordinary. Her wrists, however. Her wrists were still red from how tightly he had the pinned against the bed last night, how hard he had held her. Thomas’s gaze moved to her stomach where multiple bruises laid. A large one laid slightly on the left side of her abdomen. He grazed his thumb over it lightly and scoffed a laugh.

“What is it?” Audrey Rose asked.

Thomas didn’t bother meeting her eyes, only continued to look at the mark as he spoke, “I remember giving this to you.”

“You do?”

He nodded and swallowed. “I remember kissing up your thighs, across your stomach—” another graze of his thumb. “I didn’t expect to leave  _ this  _ in its wake.” Audrey Rose laughed softly and held onto his biceps. 

Thomas’s gaze moved up her stomach to her breasts, a few red marks laid across her chest, but what really shocked Thomas was the teeth mark just above her left breast. He moved his hand to trace it lightly and swore under his breath. “This one is going to leave a scar it’s so deep. I’m sorry, Audrey Rose. I should have—”

“I’ll have a permanent reminder of your love,” Audrey Rose cut him off with a smile.

At first, Thomas looked confused then remembered her earlier words, “ _ the pain doesn’t matter to me because I know why it’s there. I feel my sore muscles and I remember why they are sore. I think of you telling—and showing me how much you love me. I think of you kissing me and touching me and loving me. The pain is only a reminder of your love, Thomas. And how much I love you”.  _ Thomas still hated the fact that he had hurt her, but he grinned, coming to terms with the fact that Audrey Rose was happy, and that was all that would ever matter to him.

__

He swiftly captured her lips in his own, pulling her against him. Thomas stood there kissing her as though it was his only chance to do so, pouring all the love he could into it. Their tongues met in an elegant dance which could have lasted for hours.

Thomas lifted her up into his arms without breaking their mouths apart and carried her over to the tub. He groaned against her lips as his body met with the hot water beneath him. Audrey Rose pulled away from him only to lay beside him, her head resting on his chest, his fingers ghosting up and down her spine. Thomas leaned his head back, stretching his neck and sighed. His mind was still attempting to process the fact that Audrey Rose wasn’t mad at him for all of the pain he had caused her, that she had  _ liked  _ it. Thomas brought his head back up and looked down at her, asking, “did you really enjoy it that much?”

Audrey Rose chuckled and tapped her fingers against his chest. “Yes, Thomas. I did.”

He grinned before closing the distance between their lips once more. Thomas held onto her waist and pulled her on top of him, her entire body flush against his. Their kiss deepened, opening their mouths for one another. Audrey Rose let out a moan, “I want you so badly, but I know we can’t do anything because of how sore I am.”

“I’m content just kissing you for the rest of my life, although other activities do sound very appealing. However, due to our circumstance, it appears we will have to go with the former of the two options,” Thomas hummed against her lips.

Their mouths met again in a slow lazy kiss, only pulling apart when they both needed air. Thomas watched as Audrey Rose sat up, her legs straddling his waist. She quickly reached a hand behind her and turned off the water now that the tub was close to overflowing. Thomas rested his hands on her hips, tracing small circles on her skin with his thumbs.

Audrey Rose drew designs and patterns on his chest when she spoke with a large grin, “You don’t understand how amazing it felt last night, Thomas. I—nothing has ever felt that good.”

His cheeks flushed as he stared at her. Thomas raised a hand up to her shoulder, sliding his fingers down her arm where he then grabbed her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles. “What parts did you enjoy? Because I would do anything to make you smile like  _ this  _ again.”

Audrey Rose let out a soft laugh and met his gaze, her grin growing. “Everything,” she answered. “It was all so good.”

Thomas smirked in satisfaction and licked his lips. “Well, give me some specifics. I want to be able to know what my wife wants while in bed.” He ran his fingers up and down her thigh as she hummed in thought.

“I liked how rough you were. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always love how gentle and kind you are with me, the soft kisses in the early mornings and whispers of ‘I love you’ against each other’s skin, but it was a pleasant change—you being so fierce. It made me feel strong. Like you weren’t afraid I would shatter in your embrace—that I wasn’t weak,” she replied.

“Anything else?”

“Really, Thomas?”

“I want to be able to pleasure you, my love. I want to make you feel good. Tell me,” Thomas spoke.

Audrey Rose smiled lightly and answered as she pointed to the large bruise on her stomach, “I like these. I like them a lot.”

Thomas brushed his thumb over it like he did when he first saw it. “I like  _ giving  _ you those, so I guess that works out nicely.”

Neither spoke, Thomas being content just looking at her. She delicately traced his collarbone, bringing her finger down the centre of his torso, stopping just above his navel. Thomas watched as she looked up at him and met his eyes.

“I love you.”

“And I love you,” Thomas said in response. That was all he  _ needed  _ to say. He raised his arms out in front of him and wiggled his fingers in a silent gesture for Audrey Rose to move closer. She fell forward, her face pressed into his neck as his arms wrapped securely around her shoulders, holding her tightly against him. Thomas rested his head against hers, breathing in her scent.

They laid there for what could have possibly been hours when Audrey Rose gasped and pulled back, looking down at him. “What is it, love?” Thomas asked, his brows creasing in the centre.

“We were supposed to be helping Uncle in the lab today,” she explained.

Thomas tucked her hair behind her ear and ran his thumb over her lower lip. He cupped her cheek in his palm and said, “already dealt with. I asked Sofia to deliver the message to your uncle that you weren’t feeling very well and we wouldn’t be able to come in today.” 

Audrey Rose sighed and fell back into his warm embrace.

“You are a saint, Lord Thomas James Dorin Cel Rau Cresswell.”

“And you are a goddess, Lady Audrey Rose Cresswell.”

***

Thomas scooped Audrey Rose into his arms from the now cold bath and carried her back to their sleeping chambers. He deposited her on the bed, turning to exit the room when he felt a tug on his hand. Thomas faced Audrey Rose once again, this time a frown was on her face.

“Where are you going?” She asked with a pout, pulling him closer.

“I’ll be back momentarily, I promise,” he replied with a smile. Thomas pecked her lips and exited their chambers, making his way down to the kitchen. He quickly made a cup of tea, adding a small amount of honey—just the way Audrey Rose liked it—and brought it back up to their sleeping chambers. When Thomas walked into the room, Audrey Rose had one of their thin bed sheets tossed over her lap as she sat in the centre of their large bed. She smiled as he crossed the distance between them, holding the steaming cup out for her.

“For you, my darling wife,” Thomas smirked before climbing onto the bed, sitting against the headboard behind Audrey Rose. Her back was still damp from the bath, the drops of water against her skin shining from the sunlight pouring into the room. Audrey Rose turned, facing Thomas and held the tea back out to him, “hold this for a moment?” 

Thomas nodded and held the cup, watching as Audrey Rose moved to sit sideways in between his outstretched legs. Her shoulder pressed against his chest as Thomas moved his hand to rest on her lower back. He took a quick sip from the tea before handing it back to Audrey Rose. Thomas’s other hand moved to her thigh, lightly tracing circles onto her skin. Audrey Rose brought the cup of tea to her lips, taking a quick drink of the hot liquid. She hummed at the sweet taste, then handed the cup back to Thomas.

“What do think our children will look like?” Audrey Rose asked, completely out of the blue. Thomas nearly choked on his tea at the sudden question and raised his brows. She quickly added, “I’m not pregnant, love, so no need to look as though you have seen a ghost. I’m merely curious.” When Thomas didn’t answer, she continued, “imagine it. A baby Thomas Cresswell or Audrey Rose running around the estate.”

Thomas allowed himself a loose grin, pressing a quick kiss to her exposed shoulder. “You’ve been speaking to Liza recently, haven’t you?”

Audrey Rose playfully shoved his chest and rolled her eyes, though a large smiled laid upon her face. “Daciana,” was all she said.

“Ah, so now my dear sister is trying to get us to reproduce too? I guess they both want more of my signature ‘Thomas Cresswell’ charm running about.” 

Audrey Rose grabbed the cup of tea from his hands and took a drink. She chuckled softly and after a moment of silence, asked, “green eyes or brown eyes?” Thomas flashed her a confused look causing her to explain, “do you think our children will have green eyes or brown eyes?”

Audrey Rose turned her head to look at him, Thomas’s lips parting as he admired her bright eyes, the slight upwards angle of her mouth.  _ Happy _ , Thomas thought.  _ She looks happy. _

He brought his attention to his fingers drifting across her lower back, wrapping them around her hip and tugging her closer as he pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. Audrey Rose giggled and writhed in his arms. “I’m not sure,” he finally answered, “though I am leaning towards green. Perhaps that is only because I am biased due to how much I love looking into _your_ green eyes.”

Audrey Rose rolled those said green eyes then inquired, “male or female?”

“Why so many questions?”

Audrey Rose shrugged. “Just curious.” 

Thomas studied her, attempting to deduce her innermost thoughts, but ultimately found nothing. Audrey Rose—no one but Audrey Rose—had the capability to bewilder Thomas James Dorin Cel Rau Cresswell, something he found both mesmerizing and infuriating. 

“I know that face,” Audrey Rose began. “The crease between your brows, the intense gaze, the small dimple on your right cheek. You are trying—and most certainly failing—to deduce what I am thinking about.” She smirked at him teasingly, but Thomas didn’t return the expression. In a serious tone, he spoke, “are you trying to tell me you want to have a baby?”

Audrey Rose’s eyes widened as she froze. After moments of silence, she shook her head. “No—not like ‘never’ no, but as in ‘not right now’ no. What I’m trying to say is that I want to have children with you, but we’re not ready for that yet. I’m sorry if that’s what you thought I was implying, I—“

Thomas let out a loud sigh. “Thank goodness.”

Audrey Rose quirked a brow.

“Do not take offence, my beautiful wife, because I too want children with you, but I am  _ definitely _ not ready to be a father.”

“Well, in that case, I am glad we are in agreement,” Audrey Rose smiled lightly at him and he returned the gesture. “I was only asking all of those questions out of curiosity. I apologize for the unneeded anxiety.”

“No need to apologize, my darling rose.” After minutes of silence within the comfort of one another's arms, Thomas blurted out, “female.” Audrey Rose made a perplexed face, prompting him to elaborate, “you asked me if I thought our future child would be male or female.” He shrugged, “female.”

“Any particular reasoning behind that answer?”

Thomas sighed and leaned back against the headboard, his arms folded behind his head to cushion it. “Call it...a father’s intuition.” He mentally noted Audrey Rose’s lingering gaze on his muscular abdomen as it drifted to his biceps and finally landed on his face. He smirked at her, watching as she rolled her green eyes.

They heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet on the floor before Pawdrey Rose hopped onto their bed. The feline walked over to Audrey Rose and laid down in her lap. 

“Speaking of being a father,” Thomas began as he scratched the top of Pawdrey Rose’s head. “Our beautiful daughter has come to join us.”

Audrey Rose commented, “she is a cat, Thomas. She is not your daughter.”

“ _ Our _ daughter,” he corrected. “And as much as I dislike the fact that Pawdrey Rose prefers you—even though I give her much more affection—I also very much relate because I too adore you.” 

Audrey Rose only rolled her eyes as Thomas kissed her cheek. He took another drink of the tea before letting Audrey Rose finish it. He placed the cup on their nightstand, the movement causing Pawdrey Rose to stand up and jump off of the bed. She made her way out of the room, disappearing into the hallway.

Audrey Rose fell back into his embrace, Thomas then taking the opportunity to press his lips against hers. He leaned over top of her to deepen their kiss, cradling her in his arms. Thomas felt her tongue brush against his own—the feeling igniting a bright fire in his blood. Turning his body, he laid her out on the bed, his hips landing between her legs. Kissing Audrey Rose Wadsworth— _ Cresswell,  _ Thomas mentally corrected himself, was one of his favourite past times, something he wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life doing. 

Their lips fell apart, only to catch their breaths. Audrey Rose ran her fingers through Thomas’s hair, running her finger down the side of his face, across his jaw, and finally, tracing the outline of his lips. Thomas’s heart skipped a beat—or multiple—at her touch. He looked down at Audrey Rose as she let out a yawn, shutting her eyes and pushing her head farther into the pillow beneath her. 

“It appears as though  _ someone  _ didn’t get enough sleep last night,” Thomas teased, watching as Audrey Rose smiled though her eyes remained shut. All Thomas could think of was how adorable she looked. 

“It’s not my fault a certain  _ someone _ —” she peaked an eye open to flash an accusatory glare up at him, “kept me awake for a majority of the night.”

Thomas brushed his nose against hers and pressed a kiss to the tip, then a kiss on her cheek, then the other, then her forehead, then her chin, and finally captured her lips in his own in a passionate, heated, kiss. Audrey Rose’s legs instinctively wrapping around him, her foot caressing up his leg. Thomas pulled back, only a hair's width separating their mouths. She nodded at the unasked question lingering between them. Thomas whispered, “I love you,” as he slowly—so incredibly slowly—pushed himself inside of her, careful to not hurt her aching body. 

Thomas paused, allowing Audrey Rose to adjust to the new—but very familiar—size of him. She moved underneath him, shifting her shoulder to a more comfortable position then nodded once more. Thomas didn’t move, he only continued to watch her. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and whispered, “are you sure?”

Audrey Rose cupped his cheek in her palm, brushing her thumb across his cheekbone. “I’m certain, Thomas. Just be gentle.”

Thomas brought his mouth down to hers softly as he began pulling out, only to slowly—so incredibly slowly—push back inside of her. Audrey Rose giggled against his lips and mumbled, “you can go harder than  _ that _ , my love.”

He chuckled as his cheeks flushed a bright shade of pink, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won't.”

The way she spoke made Thomas stop and stare at her. Audrey Rose had spoken with such certainty and confidence in her tone, as though in her eyes he could do her no harm. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, but he held them back, choosing to instead get lost in her body and soul, the feeling of how well he fit inside of her,  _ her _ — _ Audrey Rose Cresswell _ .

Increasing his pace—though only slightly—Thomas began kissing down the length of her neck, murmuring sweet nothings against her skin. Audrey Rose’s fingernails dug into his bare shoulders, arching her back underneath him causing her nipples to brush against his chest. Thomas’s lips ventured down to the space between her collarbone and breast where the small teeth mark laid in her skin—a mark that would most likely scar. He faintly pressed a kiss over the scar, murmuring, “I love you,” against her skin. 

Thomas trailed kisses down the pathway between her breasts. After every touch of his lips, he whispered,  _ “I love you”  _ over and over and over again, as though the number of times he said it would never amount to the extent that he loved her. There was no word or phrase that could ever capture exactly how much Thomas Cresswell loved Audrey Rose. Meanwhile, his thrusts continued at a slow, steady, pace—careful not to cause her any pain. 

“ _ Thomas _ ,” she breathed out and pressed her lips to his chest, kissing her way across his skin. _ “Thomasthomasthomas”.  _

He pulled back, looking down at Audrey Rose. Thomas prolonged the next thrust of his cock, staring intently at her only to say, “I cannot put to words how incredibly magnificent you are,  _ draga mea _ . Not just your appearance—though you are breathtaking—but your mind and your heart.” 

Thomas pushed himself back into her, causing her to let out a low moan. He braced a hand flat against her back, pulling her towards his body to gain a deeper fit. Audrey Rose brought her lips to his, kissing him with all of the love she could give. Their tongues wrestled in an elegant dance as Thomas continued his pace inside of her. 

“I’m close,” Audrey Rose managed to get out, parting their lips in order to kiss the spot beneath his ear. “I’m so close, Thomas.”

“Are you sure this isn’t too hard?”

“It’s perfect— _ you  _ are perfect.”

Thomas brought his hand in between them, pressing his thumb against her knot as he peppered kisses to her shoulder. “I love you,” he mumbled then let out a short moan. “Saints, I love you.”

Audrey Rose gasped and came around Thomas. She dug her nails into his back, leaving crescent moons in their wake as she whimpered. Thomas came hardly a moment later, spilling himself into her. 

The only sound left in the room was their heavy breathing. Once they had both come down from that wondrous high, Thomas pulled out of her completely and rolled onto his back. Audrey Rose shifted, placing her head onto his chest. He wrapped an arm around her, tucking her into his side. Thomas ran his fingers up and down her spine and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

“Get some rest, my love,” Thomas whispered, but Audrey Rose was already asleep in his embrace by the time he had spoken. 

And there was no place he would rather be.


	9. Heavenly Desires *NSFW* (Part 2)

Audrey Rose stood in the secret study, gazing at the naked portrait of herself hung upon the wall. Something—many things—had been on her mind since that wondrous evening nearly a month ago, many things Audrey Rose couldn’t seem to get out of her head, especially since she had a permanent reminder of that night scarred into her skin—a scar that she loved very much. She faintly ran her fingertips over the scar through the material of her thin flowy nightgown at the memory. 

When two arms wrapped around her waist, Audrey Rose leaned back into the familiar warm embrace of her husband—her husband who had been gone nearly the entire day, handling Lord business. Thomas pressed a kiss to her partially exposed shoulder, then a kiss to her neck. He finally rested his chin on her shoulder and pulled her closer into his body. “Usually you are asleep by now, my darling wife. It is quite late, nearly 1:00.”

Audrey Rose sighed and lolled her head against his. “I missed you too much to sleep. I kept tossing and turning for hours. The bed felt too big, I was too cold, I missed your arms around me, the steady beat of your heart. I missed  _ you _ .”

Thomas turned his head, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I missed you too,” he whispered against her skin. The room fell into a calming silence, Audrey Rose getting lost in her thoughts once more—the thoughts that had slowly begun to consume her over the past month. She needed to tell him so desperately, but how?

“What are you doing in here?” Thomas asked and when he was met with no reply, he tracked his wife’s gaze to the painting in front of them, hanging on the wall. 

“Ah, I see,” he spoke as he lifted his head, grabbing Audrey Rose’s waist and turning her in his arms. She kept her eyes on his face and loosely wrapped her arms around his neck. 

Thomas continued, “sneaking into our secret study to admire your naked self? I would tease you for it, but I find myself coming down here often to do the same.” Audrey Rose chuckled lightly and rolled her eyes. Her husband then added, “any particular reason?”

Audrey Rose opened her mouth for some sarcastic remark then pressed her lips together. Thomas quirked a brow in curiosity, prompting her to speak, “I’ve had something on my mind recently.”

Audrey Rose moved her attention to Thomas’s tie, bringing her fingers to toy with the fabric. It was a habit she had developed over the course of their marriage. Fiddling with his tie gave her an outlet to release her anxiety, especially with being so close to him while doing so. Audrey Rose bit her lip, trying to find the right words. 

“That night—the night you did this painting…” she trailed off as a million thoughts ran through her head, a million worries about what Thomas would think.

He noticed the awkward tension in the room and in typical Cresswell fashion, flirted, “I remember every detail of that evening.”

Audrey Rose flickered her gaze up to his face before instantly looking back down at his tie. “As do I.” She paused, taking a deep breath before speaking, “ever since then I have been thinking.”

“About?”

“The way it felt—how  _ good  _ it felt, Thomas. And…I have been thinking about doing more. I have  _ pictured _ doing more with you,” Audrey Rose explained.

“Care to elaborate?” Thomas asked, gentleness and interest present in his voice. When Audrey Rose made no move to speak, he grabbed her hand in his own and took a step back. He tugged on her fingers, a smile on his lips, as he added, “come here.” 

Audrey Rose allowed herself a short grin, following Thomas as he guided her around his desk. He sat in his desk chair, leaning back to stretch out his neck and shoulders. Using his chin, Thomas gestured to his lap, Audrey Rose then placing herself on his thighs. Her legs straddled his waist, his hands resting at her hips while hers moved back to his tie. 

Thomas stated, “you can tell me anything, love. There is no need to be embarrassed.”

“Promise?”

“I swear it.”

Audrey Rose pressed a soft kiss to his lips and nodded, finally saying, “in the autopsy lab—on the cadaver table.”

Thomas flashed her a confused expression, “but I have already taken you on the cadaver ta—”

“I know,” she scoffed a laugh and blushed before continuing, “but the way I’ve pictured it is different.”

“How so?” 

“I’m my...desires, you have been tied to the cadaver table with rope.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she watched Thomas, searching for any sign of anger or disgust when— 

“That is all?”

Audrey Rose nodded slowly. “I am willing to try even more—perhaps using my cane? That is if you want to?”

“You make a convincing bargain, my lovely wife, considering how much I  _ love _ your cane. Specifically you with it.”

She chuckled faintly and shook her head, finally meeting his brown eyes after avoiding them for so many minutes. Audrey Rose’s expression turned serious as she asked, “are you sure you don’t find this...uncomfortable? Or perhaps odd?” 

Thomas moved his hand from her waist up to her face, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I will admit that it is peculiar, but not in any particularly bad way.” 

He paused for a moment, then continued, “thank you for expressing your desires and feelings. As someone who struggles with that, I know it is not always easy. Just always know that you can tell me anything. No need to be embarrassed or afraid of what I may think because, at the end of the day, I love you and I trust you. That is all that matters to me.” 

Audrey Rose pressed her lips against his, parting them only a moment later. “I love you too,” she mumbled against his lips before pulling completely back. “Would you like me to explain further?”

“Please,” Thomas encouraged, bowing his head slightly. 

Audrey Rose opened her mouth to speak then instantly sealed her lips shut as a flush appeared on her cheeks. 

Thomas squeezed her waist comfortingly. “Remember what I said, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. You could cut me open like a cadaver and I would still very much adore you.”

“Actually…”

Thomas’s eyes widened though Audrey Rose only giggled. “I don’t want to perform a  _ real  _ autopsy on you, of course, but do you recall during the Etruria killings when we playacted Miss Crenshaw’s murder?” 

“How could I forget? You stabbed me, darling.” 

Audrey Rose only rolled her eyes. “I was thinking we could do something similar to that except playact an autopsy rather than a murder.”

Thomas hummed under his breath with a nod. “What exactly would this entail?”

Audrey Rose shrugged. “Whatever we want. Whatever we are most comfortable with.”

“I’ll partake in whatever you desire, Audrey Rose, as long as you remain unharmed. If you wish to use a scalpel on me, I can playact as the cadaver. I like seeing how powerful you are and that might be difficult while acting as a corpse, though I have no doubt that you of all people could find a way.” 

Audrey Rose smiled as the room fell into a peaceful silence. She gazed at Thomas’s face, watching as a smirk appeared on his lips—always a sign of trouble. He remarked, “is this your way of confessing that you desired me while playacting the murder on the Etruria?” 

“Quite possibly,” Audrey Rose replied with a smirk of her own. 

“The scandal!” Thomas began in a sarcastic tone. “We were not even officially courted then. However indecent it may have been, I do understand why—I am immensely handsome. Besides, the feeling was most certainly mutual.” 

Audrey Rose let out a loose chuckle, soon fading into a dull quiet. It felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, finally telling Thomas all of her pent up thoughts and desires, knowing that he would always love her no matter what. 

“Audrey Rose?” Thomas asked softly.

“Hm?” 

“I need you to promise me something.”

She tilted her head to the side, studying his features. “What is it?”

“Promise me that throughout...all of this, we will prioritize one another’s wellbeing. I—you know I would never want to hurt you and the thought of that happening...saints, Wadsworth, I don’t know what I would do. Likewise, I believe—or at the very least, hope—that you feel the same about myself.”

He paused and released a sigh. “Do not get me wrong, I fully support everything we have discussed this evening, but I just want you to be safe. I don’t care about myself, as long as you remain unharmed. That is all I ask.” 

Audrey Rose’s lips parted but no words came out. She brought her hand up to his face, starting from his hairline, tracing down the side of his face along the hollow of his cheekbone. Cupping his cheek in her palm, she brushed her thumb against his warm skin and stared into his beautiful brown eyes. 

At last, when Audrey Rose spoke, her voice came out in no more than a whisper, “I promise.” 

Thomas turned his head, pressing a delicate kiss to her palm and faced her once more. Audrey Rose moved her hand to run her fingers through his unruly curls, Thomas’s eyes fluttering shut at the feeling. 

Audrey Rose moved her hands down to his tie, untying the elegant knot at the base of his neck before placing the garment onto the desk behind her. When she faced Thomas, his eyes were open and watching her as she slid her hands underneath his coat. He leaned forward enough for Audrey Rose to slide the item off of his body, then tossing it aside. She removed his waistcoat, placing it on top of where his discarded coat laid on the floor. 

Audrey Rose’s slender fingers moved to the buttons at the collar of his shirt, slowly making her way down the front of it, one button at a time. Thomas’s hands remained at her waist, tracing circles and patterns on her body. 

Once all of the buttons were undone, Thomas leaned forward, allowing Audrey Rose to remove his shirt. She allowed herself to roam her fingers over his muscular chest, running her fingertips along his collar bones, down the centre of his torso. Resting her hand flat against his chest, she felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Audrey Rose felt his gaze on her, causing her to look up at him. 

The moment their eyes met, Thomas’s lips were on hers. One of his hands pressed against her lower back, pushing her against his chest, while the other laid flat against her shoulder blades. The kiss was slow, so incredibly slow and it felt heavenly though kissing Thomas  _ always _ felt heavenly.

Audrey Rose opened her mouth, lazily brushing her tongue against his, receiving a groan from Thomas in return. 

One of his arms left her body, reaching out towards the desk behind her and within seconds he had grabbed her thighs, lifting her onto the desk. Audrey Rose heard many loud crashes and bangs, immediately knowing exactly what Thomas’s hand had done moments prior.  _ He had shoved everything that was on the desk onto the floor.  _ She pried her mouth away from his, her brows furrowed. 

“ _ Why _ ?” Audrey Rose groaned despite the laughter that threatened to escape her lips. “That wasn’t necessary.” 

Thomas shrugged as he attempted to hide his chuckles, only causing Audrey Rose to giggle further. “What can I say, us Cresswell’s are notorious for being dramatic.”

Audrey Rose cocked her head to the side as she gripped his bare shoulders, pulling him closer. “Trust me, I am well aware.”

Thomas laughed as he brought his mouth back down to hers, connecting their lips in a passionate kiss. Audrey Rose wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him as close as she possibly could. Thomas brought his lips down to her jaw, trailing soft kisses down her neck to her shoulder. 

Teasing the neckline of Audrey Rose’s nightgown down, Thomas looked at the scar only a few inches above her breast, brushing his lips softly over the mark. “I love you,” he murmured onto her skin. 

Audrey Rose shut her eyes, tossing her head back as Thomas continued kissing her exposed collarbone and shoulder. Her fingers gripped the edge of the desk on either side of her thighs as she let out a moan. 

Thomas moved away from her body, causing Audrey Rose to open her eyes, searching for him. She watched as he knelt to the floor in front of her and lifted her nightgown over his head. The ridiculous sight of Thomas completely underneath her nightgown almost caused her to let out a laugh when she suddenly felt him spread her legs apart, the feeling of his tongue parting her folds following instantly. 

Audrey Rose’s nails dug into the wooden desk as she let out a moan. She felt Thomas pull back only to say, “I wasn’t expecting you to be completely naked underneath this gown, my love. Truly a pleasant surprise.” 

She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the feeling of Thomas’s tongue on her one more—one slow, strong, stroke on her entrance. He moved his attention to the insides of her thighs, nipping and kissing her soft skin. 

Audrey Rose writhed in pleasure beneath his touch, her grip so tight on the desk that her knuckles were turning white. 

“ _ Thomas _ ,” Audrey Rose moaned. “Please.”

Thomas chuckled against the skin of her upper thigh. Audrey Rose could feel the vibrations of his laugh against her body, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. His lips moved closer to the spot Audrey Rose so desired causing her to let out a whine. Thomas’s tongue found its way back to her folds, parting the wet skin and entering her. 

Audrey Rose gasped, her chest heaving from the wonderful sobs threatening to escape her body. Thomas only continued working on her entrance with his mouth at an agonizingly slow pace.

The moment Thomas shoved a finger inside of her, Audrey Rose swore under her breath to which Thomas replied, “such a foul mouth, my darling rose.”

“That’s coming from the one—“ a moan “—with their mouth currently on my entrance.”

Thomas only hummed against her in response, adding another finger into her body. Audrey Rose let out a loud whimper, causing Thomas to quicken the pace of his fingers and tongue. She felt him kiss her inner thighs while his fingers worked in her entrance. Audrey Rose couldn’t form coherent thoughts aside from, “I’m close”. She found herself not having the power to tell Thomas this due to the heavenly—yet oh so distracting—feeling between her legs. Thomas seemed to understand regardless, his thumb then pressing against her knot as his tongue joined her fingers, pumping and licking at her entrance. 

Audrey Rose let out a loud cry as she climaxed, Thomas working on her until the wondrous wave of pleasure passed through her body. 

She felt Thomas remove his fingers from her body with one final stroke of his tongue to remove any remnants of her juices. 

Thomas lightly brushed delicate kisses to her thighs, not for arousal, but rather for comfort while Audrey Rose gathered her thoughts and caught her breath. 

After many moments of silence, Audrey Rose lifted the skirt portion of her nightgown though only slightly and spoke, “you can come out now, love.”

Thomas’s head popped back up, his grin wet with her juices. His hair was a mess of unruly curls at the top of his head and he looked so deliriously happy. The sight was nearly enough to make Audrey Rose climax again, especially when Thomas lifted his soaking wet fingers to his mouth, licking them clean. 

Audrey Rose opened her mouth to speak though no words came out. Instead, she leaned forward, cupping Thomas’s cheeks in her palms and lifting his face up to hers. The kiss was sweet yet firm and Audrey Rose could taste herself of his lips. They pulled apart, Thomas resting his forehead against hers as he stated, “you taste heavenly, my lovely wife.”

Audrey Rose hummed in response, pressing her lips against his once more. This time the kiss was deeper although still soft and loving. Thomas’s tongue brushed up against her own, pulling a soft moan from her throat. Audrey Rose pulled back and brushed her lips against the corner of his mouth in a faint kiss. 

“I love you,” she spoke softly, gazing into the brown eyes that she had fallen so in love with. 

Thomas tucked Audrey Rose’s hair behind her ear and softly kissed her cheek, then her neck, then her shoulder, then the scar directly above her breast, before looking back up at her, only to whisper, “and I love you.”

Audrey Rose fell against his body, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck and her legs around his waist as she buried her face into his bare chest. She could feel Thomas’s hard cock press against her inner thigh as he wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her closer to his body. 

Audrey Rose lightly dragged her fingers down his body to the bulge in the front of his trousers, her fingers brushing over his hardness. She moved to undo the button when she heard Thomas murmur, “not tonight, love.”

Audrey Rose looked up with a raised brow.

“Tonight is about you, Audrey Rose. Besides, I’m content just holding you in my arms for the rest of the night.”

She remained silent for a brief moment. Audrey Rose felt guilty being the only one to receive pleasure, prompting her to ask, “are you sure? Pleasuring you is just as enjoyable for me as it is for you.”

Thomas nodded. “We will have plenty of nights in the future where I will let you ravish me whole, my love. We will have the rest of our lives to have one another.”

At that, Audrey Rose smiled before wrapping her arms around Thomas’s torso and fell into his chest once more. She mumbled into his warm skin, “the rest of our lives, indeed.”

Audrey Rose released a yawn, Thomas only pulling her body closer to his. He placed a kiss to the top of her head, murmuring, “we should get to bed. It must be approaching 2:00 by now.”

Thomas stroked her hair as she nodded into his bare skin, tossing her arms around his neck. 

“Carry me, please?” She asked innocently, without bothering to so much as look at him. 

Thomas chuckled and the sound echoed in Audrey Rose’s head. “As you wish, printesa mea.”

Thomas grabbed the undersides of her thighs, hoisting her into his arms as Audrey Rose’s legs wrapped around his waist securely. 

Audrey Rose clung to Thomas’s warm body as he carried her through the estate up to their sleeping chambers. When they arrived, Thomas laid her out on the bed next to where Pawdrey Rose slept. Audrey Rose crawled under the covers, watching Thomas as he removed the remainder of his clothing until he was left in only his drawers.

Audrey Rose held her arms out for him, missing his embrace despite being in his arms only a few minutes prior. Thomas joined her under the covers, Audrey Rose immediately laying on top of him, her head in the crook of his neck. Thomas wrapped his arms around her body, pressing a kiss to her head. Audrey Rose snuggled impossibly closer, murmuring a quick ‘goodnight’ before drifting off to sleep in the arms of her love. 


	10. Heavenly Desires *NSFW* (Part 3)

Thomas held the door open for Audrey Rose as she entered the laboratory, himself following suit. He made sure the door was secured tightly behind him afterwards, ensuring no one would be able to walk in on the event about to take place. 

“Uncle Jonathan should be occupied for quite some time. I am not entirely sure when he will return, but he should at the very least be gone for two hours,” Audrey Rose stated, turning to face Thomas.

He flashed her his signature Thomas Cresswell smirk, replying, “then it appears as though we will have to make this quick which might be difficult for you, my lovely wife. I know I would certainly take my precious time exploring  _ my _ body if I were you.”

Audrey Rose rolled her eyes. “You couldn’t sound more self-absorbed if you tried.”

“Not self-absorbed, Audrey Rose—just stating facts,” Thomas corrected. “I  _ have _ looked in a mirror before.”

His wife shook her head though a smile threatened to tug up at the corners of her mouth. “You are insufferable.”

Thomas didn’t bother responding, though many clever retorts crossed his mind. Instead, he held out his hand, Audrey Rose understanding and placing her cane in his palm so she could remove her silky gloves. 

As Thomas gazed at the cane in his hand, he couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped past his lips as vivid memories crossed his mind—vivid memories from last night.

“What is it?” he heard Audrey Rose ask. 

Thomas looked up to meet her green eyes. She must have noticed his smirk considering her worried face. According to her, Thomas’s smirk was never a good sign.

He let out one final chuckle before stating, “I remember last night when you shoved this up my—”

“Thomas!” Audrey Rose exclaimed as she snatched her cane back, cheeks turning a bright shade of red. All Thomas could think of was how adorable she looked. 

Audrey Rose moved to place her gloves on the countertop beside them before resting her cane against the wall. She turned, facing Thomas once more as he spoke, “don’t get so defensive,  _ draga mea _ . I know you enjoyed it just as much as I did.”

With a sigh out of her nose, Audrey Rose rolled her eyes, a smile remaining on her lips. Thomas admired her for a moment, taking in her ungloved hands, the large diamond ring glistening on her finger—the ring he had given her when he formally asked her to marry him. He crossed the distance between them in the matter of three steps, grabbing her waist and tugging her closer to his body. 

Audrey Rose raised her hands, slipping them beneath his jacket so they laid flat against his chest. As her hands drifted up to his shoulders, Thomas removed his hands from her waist, allowing Audrey Rose to slide the jacket off of his body. The garment dropped to the floor with a muted thud, Thomas’s hands instantly returning to her sides. 

“Eager to get me undressed, Audrey Rose? I would inform you of how indecent you are acting, however, I do understand why. I am irresistibly charming.”

“Are you capable of having a conversation without mentioning your appearance —or your intelligence for that matter ?” 

Thomas cocked his head to the side and contemplated the question for a brief moment. “Only when I’m preoccupied with confessing my undying love for you, of course. Otherwise, no. I don’t believe so.” 

Audrey Rose crossed her arms over her chest, flashing him  _ that  _ look. Thomas smiled innocently and pressed a kiss to her cheek as a false apology. 

“I love you,” he murmured in a child's like voice against her skin.

As hard as she tried to keep her stern expression, Audrey Rose’s lips curled into a smile as she let out a scoffed laugh. She caved, reluctantly responding, “I love you too.” A pause. “Now, may I continue or will you interrupt me once more?”

Thomas held his arms up in surrender then gestured down the length of his body. “It’s all yours.”

Audrey Rose smirked and Thomas watched as she brought her slender fingers to his waistcoat, fiddling with the buttons to get them undone. She removed the item from his body before immediately starting on the buttons of his white collared shirt. 

“Thomas?” Audrey Rose asked, suddenly breaking the silence. 

Thomas hummed in acknowledgment, an eyebrow peaked with interest. Her gaze flickered to his face before returning back down to the buttons on his shirt. “I want you to know that you can tell me to stop at any point. I won’t do anything that you’re not comfortable with and I definitely don’t want to hurt you so please tell me how you feel. Tell me if it ever gets too much or you are no longer comfortable because I promise that I—”

Thomas raised his hand to her chin, tipping her face up to his and placed a soft kiss to her mouth. He slowly pulled away, making sure Audrey Rose remained looking at him as he moved to pull out the pins in her hair. Her ebony locks cascaded down her back and shoulders, something that made her appear much more vulnerable. Thomas tucked her hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek in his palm and faintly brushing her skin with his thumb. 

“I know, Audrey Rose,” Thomas began. “I have always—and will always—trust you wholeheartedly. I never anticipated loving someone to the extent that I love you nor did I ever expect anyone to love me enough to become my wife. I never thought I would be able to trust anyone who wasn’t Daci. That was until I met you. The faith I have in you, my dear Wadsworth, is the type of faith religious individuals have in their gods. They worship them just as I worship you.” 

Thomas exhaled. “As hard as it is for me to comprehend, I know that you love me and care for me in the vast way that I love and care for you. I know that you would never do anything to harm me because I would never do anything to harm you. We are equals, Audrey Rose. For the rest of our lives and whatever may come after that, I promise that you will always be my equal. So even though I doubt I’ll need to, I promise to tell you if it ever gets too much.” 

Audrey Rose’s lips parted, but no words came out. After moments of anticipation, she finally spoke, “why did you call me Wadsworth?”

“I just confessed how much I love and trust you, and all you ask is why I referred to you by your maiden name?”   
  
Audrey Rose let out a laugh at Thomas’s very obvious sarcasm as a flush spread across her cheeks.

Thomas only shrugged with a light smile and answered, “an old habit. Besides, I love saying your maiden name because it reminds me of when we first fell in love. Before it was proper for me to call you Audrey Rose.”   
  
“Being proper never stopped you,” Audrey Rose commented, tilting her head to the side with a gaze that only showed adoration and love.

“Being proper is the last thing on my mind when I’m with you, my love.” 

“Such a sap, Lord Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell,” Audrey Rose let out a laugh and all Thomas wanted to do was listen to that sound for the rest of his life. She continued, her tone turning serious, “about what you said...I know how hard love can be for you, Thomas, and all I can say is that I am so incredibly proud of you.”

Thomas pressed his lips to hers in a firm yet short kiss. When they pulled back, Audrey Rose brought her attention to Thomas’s shirt, finishing the final buttons and removing the piece, tossing it to the floor. He noticed Audrey Rose’s lingering gaze on his exposed torso, the hard muscles on his abdomen, leading down to his—

Her hands reached out for the waistband of Thomas’s trousers but he stopped her, instead gesturing towards Audrey Rose’s fully dressed figure. “May I?”

Audrey Rose motioned her hands down the length of her body then repeating Thomas’s earlier words in a teasing tone, “it’s all yours.” 

Thomas slipped his hands around her waist and spun her body around. He brushed Audrey Rose’s long dark curls over her shoulder and pressed a quick kiss to the nape of her neck. His nimble fingers slid down her shoulders to her lower back, finding the laces of her skirts and untying them. He allowed the item to fall to the floor around her ankles in a pool of eggshell coloured fabric. 

Audrey Rose gripped Thomas’s forearms while his hands remained at her waist, supporting her body as she stepped out of her skirts. Immediately, she kicked them aside, watching them slide across the floor.

Thomas turned Audrey Rose in his arms, looking her up and down for a moment before settling his gaze on the top button of her bodice. His hands snaked their way from her waist up to the top button, his fingers quickly unbuttoning the front of her clothing. Thomas removed her bodice and tossed it onto the floor where the rest of their discarded clothes laid. Audrey Rose turned once more, prompting Thomas to remove her underskirts then beginning on the intricate laces of her corset. 

After minutes of silence with barely any progress with the removal of her corset, Thomas spoke, “isn’t it odd that I help you get dressed every morning only to take off your clothing a few hours later due to your desperate need for me?”

Although Thomas couldn’t see her face, he knew she rolled her eyes. Audrey Rose replied, “don’t flatter yourself, Cresswell. I merely use it as an excuse to get out of my corset.”

A moment of self-doubt sprouting from years of self-deprecation flashed through Thomas’s mind at the words ‘merely an excuse’. He reminded himself that her words were only a joke and that Audrey Rose loved him. Whether he deserved it or not, she loved him. 

Thomas forced a smirk on his face as he continued working on her corset and remarked, “if it is merely just an excuse then why do I recall you telling me how badly you needed me inside of you? That you had been picturing me naked all morning?” 

He brushed his lips along the side of her neck, a gentle graze of his mouth. Audrey Rose only shrugged as Thomas pulled back, finishing with the laces of her corset and taking the piece off. She turned in his arms, her face so close to his that their lips were nearly touching. Thomas could feel her hot breath on his face. He gripped the sides of her body, Audrey Rose’s hands resting flat against his chest.

Finally, his wife replied in a devilish tone, “because I just so happen to  _ very  _ much enjoy the excuse.”

Desire filled Thomas’s veins. He desperately wanted to push her against the wall and make love to her right then and there, but this was not the time nor place for that. Ultimately, Thomas sunk to his knees and tugged her drawers down to her ankles. Audrey Rose braced her hands on his shoulders and stepped out of the item. Next, Thomas repeated the gesture with her stockings.

When he finally rose again, Thomas took ahold of her chemise, lifting it over her head and tossing it aside, leaving Audrey Rose’s body completely bare save for the ring on her finger and her mother's locket. Thomas’s gaze wandered up and down her body, a sight he would never tire of. 

Amidst his staring, Audrey Rose hooked her fingers into his waistband and pulled him against her, causing Thomas to stumble from the sudden movement. She pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw before tilting her head back down to his waistband. Audrey Rose unbuttoned the front of trousers, immediately pulling it—along with his drawers—down to his ankles. Thomas stepped out of them and brushed them aside, his attention returning to his wife who seemed to be occupied with staring at his newly exposed body part.

With a smug look on his features, Thomas crossed his arms over his chest and dramatically cleared his throat, causing Audrey Rose to snap out of her trance and meet his eyes. She blushed a bright shade of red, knowing that Thomas knew exactly what she had been doing. 

“I’m sorry, I—”

“Don’t apologize, my dear Wadsworth. Feel free to gaze at my cock whenever you desire,” Thomas flirted then paused. He exhaled, his tone turning serious. “Truly, Audrey Rose, there is so need to apologize. You own my heart and my body, not because we are married, but rather because I willingly gave it to you. My body and soul—both are yours and only yours. In this life and whatever may come after that.”

Audrey Rose pushed up onto the tips of her toes, pressing a kiss to Thomas’s lips. He felt her breasts brush against his naked chest, the feeling sending electricity through his body. 

“I love you,” she murmured softly against his mouth. 

Thomas brushed his lips over hers. “I love you too.”

Audrey Rose pulled out of his arms, his fingertips dragging across her skin as she moved. Thomas watched her backside as she walked across the room, grabbing a long rectangle of black fabric. Audrey Rose folded the material until its width was no more than a few inches, the long edge of the fabric remaining the same length to create a blindfold. She crossed the distance between them until she stood directly before him. Due to their closeness, Thomas noticed how Audrey Rose had to tip her head back in order to meet his gaze. He smiled, tilting his chin downwards to make her task slightly easier. 

Thomas nodded at her unasked question, prompting Audrey Rose to rise onto the tips of her toes. His hands loosely gripped her sides as Audrey Rose pressed a soft peck to his lips. She placed the blindfold over his eyes so he could no longer see, tying the ends of the fabric together at the back of his head to securing the blindfold place. Thomas felt Audrey Rose pull away.

“How many fingers am I holding up?” his wife asked.

Thomas hummed sarcastically in false thought. He couldn’t see anything through the thick material of the blindfold, but answered regardless, “four.”

“How did you know that?” Audrey Rose exclaimed. Thomas could picture her face—furrowed brows, slightly gaped mouth, arms crossed over her chest.

Thomas raised his hand, lifting the blindfold so one of his eyes was exposed. A satisfactory smirk grew upon his lips, for indeed Audrey Rose stood there with furrowed brows, a slightly gaped mouth, and her arms crossed over her chest. 

“A very lucky guess,” Thomas answered to which Audrey Rose only grabbed the blindfold from his fingertips and tugged it back down over his eye. He let out a dramatic “hmph” of disapproval with a pout present on his lips. Audrey Rose let out a laugh under her breath. 

Thomas felt her hands meet his shoulders, gently guiding him backwards until the back of his thighs met with the cool material of the cadaver table. He placed his hands on either side of his hips, gripping the edge of the table as he sat on the flat surface. Thomas turned his body—with the assistance of—Audrey Rose and slowly lowered himself so he was laying flat against the table.

He heard rummaging coming from behind him, indicating that she had moved to the countertop against the wall. 

Quirking a brow, Thomas called out, “Audrey Rose?”

“Patience is a virtue, my love,” she replied and he could practically hear her smirk as she spoke. 

With nothing else to say, Thomas rolled his shoulders, cracking the upper portion of his back, next, tilting his head side to side to gain a similar reaction in his neck, hearing a satisfying crack.

The rummaging noise behind him had come to a halt, the light pitter-patter of Audrey Rose’s bare feet on the hard floor the only sound left in the room. Thomas could sense her stopping right next to him, taking hold of his hand and placing it flush against the leg of the table. 

“Keep your hand there, please,” Audrey Rose requested with an odd amount of innocence present in her voice despite their very indecent situation. 

Thomas obliged even as her fingers left his skin, soon replaced by the rough feeling of rope on his wrist. She wrapped the rope around his wrist and the leg of the table making two full circles before ending in a tight knot, securing his arm in place. 

Audrey Rose asked, “is it too tight?”

Thomas attempted to pull his arm up from the table with no success, replying, “no, it is quite alright.”

She didn’t respond, only moving around the table to the other side of his body, grabbing his hand just as before and placing it against the leg of the cadaver table. Exactly the same as the previous arm, Audrey Rose grabbed a long piece of rope, wrapping it twice around his wrist as well as the leg of the table before tying it into an elegant knot. 

“Is that good?”

“Indeed.”

Audrey Rose repeated the action twice more with his ankles, fully securing him to the cadaver table. Thomas felt her move from the end of the table—near his feet—to the top of his body, standing directly beside his torso. He flexed his fingers, stretching them far enough to brush against the skin of her naked thigh.

His wife cupped his cheek in her palm, turning his head to face her. With her other hand, she grabbed the bottom of the blindfold covering his eyes, lifting it slightly in order for Thomas to gaze upon her face, her eyes filled with so much love. 

“Are you comfortable, darling?” Audrey Rose asked softly, her thumb lazily running across his cheek.

Thomas smirked, “as comfortable as one can be while tied to a cadaver table, of course.”

He noticed her cringe slightly at his words, as though they had caused her unneeded guilt. 

Audrey Rose may have been the one who had suggested the idea of using scalpels, cadaver tables, blindfolds, and ropes for pleasurable purposes, however, that didn’t mean Thomas didn’t also find it enjoyable. He found the experience just as exhilarating as she did. 

Thomas added, sincerity in his tone, “I promise you, my love, I am comfortable.”

Audrey Rose smiled faintly. Pressing her lips to Thomas’s in a short, love-filled kiss, she murmured, “remember to tell me if I ever go too far. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” he stated, no presence of uncertainty in his words. 

Thomas lifted his chin, indicating he wanted one final kiss before their act would begin. Audrey Rose grinned down at him before kissing him, firm and short. 

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Thomas watched her as she pulled away from his body, pushing the blindfold back down over his eyes. Taking in a few deep breaths, Thomas’s thoughts drifted to Audrey Rose.

Her naked body, the smell of her, the feeling of her hands on his skin. 

He loved her, that, of course, not being a shocking revelation, but not only did Thomas love  _ her, _ he also loved their connection. The way they always understood one another. They had a unique bond, that he would admit, but he wouldn’t have traded it for the world—for the entire universe. 

The moment Audrey Rose’s finger met with the skin of his chest, Thomas thought he would spontaneously combust. Her finger was cold, surprisingly cold considering how warm it had felt against his skin minutes prior. Goose-flesh covered his body as a shiver rolled down his spine.

“Name of the deceased?” Audrey Rose spoke, desire evident in her tone as her finger slowly trailed up the centre of his throat then tracing the outline of his lips. Once Thomas felt her finger move back down to his chest, he responded, “Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell, husband of Audrey Ro—”

“Age of the individual?”

Thomas frowned momentarily at the loss of the perfect opportunity to dramatically confess his undying love for her before answering simply, “twenty-two.”

He felt her lips press the faintest of kisses against the centre of his abdomen, so faint that he didn’t know whether it had indeed occurred or not. 

Audrey Rose whispered against his skin, “date of birth?” as she pressed yet another kiss to his skin. This kiss, however, was different from the previous one. Thomas could feel her tongue brush against his skin, causing him to choke on his words. 

How Audrey Rose had this kind of power over his body, Thomas would never know—though he was most certainly not complaining. 

Audrey Rose giggled against his stomach, sending vibrations throughout his body as he finally managed, “the twenty-third of January, 1871.”

Audrey Rose hummed under her breath, her lips finally leaving his abdomen, only for her finger to return to his pectorals. The quiet sound of her feet continued, indicating that she had begun circling around him—a lioness with her prey. 

She spoke aloud, “according to the coroner's report, the deceased was found within the home with no indication of forced entry as well as no indication of outward trauma to the body. The type and cause of death were declared to be unknown.” She paused. “My task is to determine them.”

Audrey Rose’s palm laid flat against his chest—directly above his heart—her thumb brushing Thomas’s skin as she stated, “the pigmentation to the flesh is a deep shade of red, most likely caused by the lack of oxygen.” 

Her fingers dragged up the centre of his torso to the base of his throat, Audrey Rose then sliding her finger to the side of his neck. From there, she drew a slow line from one side to the other as if she were slitting his throat. 

Thomas found it difficult to contain himself while Audrey Rose assessed a real corpse, but with her fingers dancing along his body like they were at the present moment, he thought that he had died and gone to heaven. 

“Yet there is no indication of strangulation,” Audrey Rose finished her thought before dragging her finger from his neck straight down the length of his arm, teasing the rope tied at his wrist. He clenched his hand, desperately wanting to hold her, to touch her. 

Audrey Rose’s finger moved back up his arm, tracing along his collarbone to the middle of his body. From there, she drew a line down the centre of his torso, continuing the line down the length of his leg where she then teased the rope at his ankle. 

Once more, she followed the exact path in reverse, making her way back up his body to his pectorals, circling around his peaked nipple with her fingernail.

“There is no visible wound found on the cadaver, meaning the cause of death must have occurred from within the body,” Audrey Rose stated.

She brought her fingers to his blindfold, tugging the fabric off and tossing it onto the floor. Thomas’s eyes met with her vibrant green ones causing him to smile. His wife returned the gesture, a small smile raising at the corners of her lips as she stated, “his pupils are dilated.”

Thomas was aware that her words were primarily for their playacting, however, that didn’t prevent him from also knowing that his pupils were indeed dilated—that it hadn’t been strictly for their intricate game. The dilation of pupils was a sign of intense attraction and adoration, something that for Thomas Cresswell would occur for Audrey Rose and Audrey Rose only.

She brushed her lips over his own, Thomas then lifting his head in an attempt to deepen the kiss, only for Audrey Rose to pull away teasingly, a smirk gracing her mouth. Thomas sighed and shut his eyes, resting his head back against the table below him.

Lowering her face to his chest, she placed soft kisses across his skin, trailing up his neck to his jaw. Audrey Rose repeated the movement with her nose, nuzzling his throat as she breathed in his scent.

She placed a kiss directly on top of his Adam’s apple, stating, “there is a bitter almond scent present on the body.”

Audrey Rose briefly examined his body once more, eyeing his naked figure up and down.

Thomas was vulnerable in this state, so incredibly vulnerable.

That was why he and Audrey Rose loved experimenting sexually in ways like this. It wasn’t about wanting to harm one another with scalpels or canes or sharp fingernails, it was about control and vulnerability and love. 

The scalpels provided them with a way to showcase their trust in one another in a physical matter rather than strictly an emotional one. It allowed them to feel the rush of danger without being placed in harm's way, a feeling that induced arousal in the both of them, similar to their first kiss all those years ago in a dark alley.

Audrey Rose mumbled, distracting Thomas from his thoughts, “no visible wounds on the cadaver, no signs of strangulation, dilated pupils, a bitter almond scent, as well as a red pigmentation to the skin.” She hummed under her breath in thought. “What do these symptoms showcase? What is the cause of death?”

Thomas opened his eyes, turning his head slightly to face Audrey Rose. She wore her deduction face, a trait she had unknowingly inherited from Thomas over the years, causing him to smile. He remarked, “perhaps my expiration was caused by the boundless amount of pleasure you provided me last night when your cane went up my—”

“Poison! The cause of death was poison,” Audrey Rose exclaimed, cutting him off. 

Thomas frowned, a crease forming between his brows due to the dramatic expression. Audrey Rose lightly ran her fingertip from his collarbone to his sternum then straight down the centre of his torso, stopping at a few inches below Thomas’s navel, just above his cock.

His body tensed as Audrey Rose leaned down next to his ear, whispering seductively, “well, now there is only one way for me to prove my theory.” 

Thomas shut his eyes and swallowed as he felt his cock harden with lust.

Audrey Rose pulled away, so swiftly and silently that he didn’t notice she was gone until he heard her rummaging through items on the countertop against the wall. Thomas opened his eyes, turning his head as far as he could with the restraints on his body to look for Audrey Rose. 

With no luck at spotting his wife, Thomas gazed down at his body, his naked figure fully on display. 

Thomas heard gentle footsteps approaching him once again, causing his toes to curl in anticipation for what was about to come next. 

They had used scalpels numerous times previously in their pleasurable escapades, always making sure to remain safe and comfortable while still exploring one other in new and unique ways. Everything was a mutual decision between the both of them, never one or the other. 

Audrey Rose appeared by Thomas’s side, the cool blade of the scalpel reflecting off of the light in the room. He watched as she tossed a leg elegantly over his body, straddling his thighs so she had access to the entire upper half of his body. 

Thomas was going to combust.

He desperately watched to hold her—to touch her.

Thomas’s wrists tugged on the rope, hardly moving more than a centimetre. 

The tip of the scalpel met with his chin, angling his head back so Audrey Rose had access to his jaw. The cold blade on his skin instantly drew his attention away from the ropes, instead, focusing on her.

Audrey Rose ghosted the sharp blade down the length of his neck, continuing down the length of his torso, only stopping when she was just above his cock. 

Thomas’s breath was growing heavy as desire coursed through his veins. 

He wanted her. 

He wanted her more than anything in the entire universe.

And somehow, she was his.

All his.

Because Audrey Rose gave herself to him. 

Because she  _ chose _ him.

The thought that anyone would ever choose him—specifically  _ Audrey Rose _ —never ceased to amaze Thomas, no matter how many years they had been together, let alone married.

She trailed the scalpel along his chest, nothing deep enough to cut, just a light brush of the blade across his skin. The feeling was both thrilling and arousing.

Audrey Rose brought the scalpel to his mouth, delicately—so incredibly delicately—tracing the outline of his lips. Thomas forced back a moan at the feeling.

Once she had finished with his mouth, Audrey Rose leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. The kiss was brief and short, yet it managed to linger on his skin even after she had pulled away.

Thomas lifted his torso as far as the ropes allowed him, chasing after her addictive mouth. Audrey Rose only pulled further back as a smirk appeared on her lips.

Once Thomas was as close to her as he could possibly get, Audrey Rose slowly leaned back down, only close enough for her lips to faintly graze against his. She chuckled against his mouth, knowing exactly what she was doing to him—the exact amount of agony and need that sparked inside of him.

Thomas let out a whine of protest as she pulled away, the sudden lack of warmth causing him to pout. He tried pulling at the ropes on his wrists once more, needing to touch her, to feel her. To know that she was real.

Thomas gazed at her features. The dark look in her green eyes, the mischievous smirk upon her lips, the slight flush of her cheeks. He nearly let out a moan at the sight of her. 

_ Audrey Rose’s theory was wrong _ , he concluded. 

His death wasn’t caused by poison, it was caused by Lady Audrey Rose Cresswell herself.

And if this was how Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell was going to die, he was certainly not complaining.

At the touch of the scalpel against his chest once more, Thomas’s breath caught in his throat. 

“Poison, hmm?” Audrey Rose began as she brushed the tip of the blade along his skin, tracing the individual muscles of his abdomen. “There are many types of poison that could potentially be the culprit, however, my suspicions are limited due to the lack of evidence present. Many poisons would have left a noticeable impact on the outside of the body, meaning this specific kind was nearly untraceable, narrowing my search.”

By the time Audrey Rose had finished speaking, the tip of the scalpel had landed on his left shoulder, in the exact spot where the first incision during an autopsy would take place. Thomas met her gaze, her green eyes filled with a silent question.  _ Is this alright? _

He allowed himself a singular nod, a faint smile on his lips to show her that he was genuine. At his confirmation, Audrey Rose’s eyes turned dark with desire, turning her attention back to the blade in her nimble fingers. She applied pressure until a small drop of blood emerged from his skin. 

Thomas gasped in pleasure, his wife then leaning forward, her chest pressed against his stomach as her tongue slowly flicked over the small wound. A deep groan formed in his throat, causing Audrey Rose to giggle against his skin.

Her soft lips worked their way across his pectorals, light kisses all over his chest.    
  


It was an odd combination of pain and pleasure—the scalpel followed directly by her gentle pecks. Perhaps that is what made it so enjoyable. 

Audrey Rose rose from his chest, returning the tip of her scalpel to the small cut on his shoulder. Her left hand moved to his body, pulling the skin taught as she pushed the very tip of the blade into his flesh. She delicately dragged the scalpel from his shoulder to his sternum, the incision nowhere near deep enough to cause any proper damage, only a thin line of blood welling on the surface of his body. Thomas made a sound, something between a hiss and a moan.

He kept his eyes on Audrey Rose’s focused expression as she repeated the action, however this time, with her tongue, slowly—so incredibly slowly—licking the blood off of the surface of his skin. She pressed a kiss to the end of the line of blood then murmuring, “there are signs of stress on the heart, most likely caused by a heart attack or cardiac arrest.”

Thomas moaned. Whether the sound was induced by her clever deduction or the feeling of her tongue against his chest, Thomas genuinely didn’t know, nor did he particularly care. 

Audrey Rose sat back on his thighs, raising the scalpel to his other shoulder and repeating her earlier gesture, holding his skin taught and sliding the tip of the blade diagonally through his flesh down to his sternum, connecting the current incision with the previous. Once more, Audrey Rose licked his chest, wiping away the line of blood with her tongue—a long, exaggerated moment.

Thomas was practically writhing beneath her, wanting and needing her with an urge he had rarely felt before. He felt his cock throbbing against the inside of her thigh, the tip only a few inches away from her entrance. The realization made him uncontrollably let out a soft whimper.

Audrey Rose ignored him as she sat up, staring down at her elegant work with the blade, tracing her finger over the fresh cuts. “The liver has minor damage, which in most cases would not be a great concern. However…” 

Thomas watched as she placed the scalpel against his sternum—the bottom of the V currently carved into his skin. Audrey Rose held his skin firmly once again as she began slowly pulling the blade down the centre of his body, through his skin, until it was a mere inch above his navel. Thomas gasped, this cut both longer and slightly deeper than the previous two. 

Just as before, Audrey Rose ran her tongue across his skin, tasting every last drop of blood. She didn’t bother raising her head from his chest as she spoke, “there is also severe damage present on the kidney, as well as the lungs.”

She pulled back, staring at the bottom of the Y incision carved into Thomas’s skin before cutting a tad further down, immediately flicking her tongue over the new drop of blood emerging from his flesh. Thomas shut his eyes as he felt her trail kisses down the rest of his torso, each kiss moving closer and closer to the body part he so desperately wanted her mouth on. 

Thomas opened his eyes, raising his head to see Audrey Rose’s head between his thighs. The sight alone made him moan. Her tongue met with the tip of his cock, flicking over the wetness already present on him, prompting Thomas to bite down on his lower lip, containing a second moan.    
  


Audrey Rose trailed her finger up the length of him, circling the tip with her fingernail before making her way back down his shaft. 

“Arsenic would not have caused this much damage to the organs, therefore proving that the cause of death was none other than cyanide poisoning.” 

She brushed her thumb over the tip of him, causing his cock to twitch and Thomas to whine, “ _ please _ ,” his voice barely audible. 

Audrey Rose let out a breathy laugh, Thomas feeling the warmth of her exhale on his cock. His toes curled as his fingers clenched, crescent moons indenting his palms. 

She whispered, “since you asked so nicely…” before taking him in her mouth. 

Squeezing his eyes shut, Thomas groaned. His wrists subconsciously tugged at the ropes tying him to the table, wanting— _ needing  _ to bury his fingers in her hair, to fist the dark, silky strands in his palms.

“ _ Audrey Rose,”  _ Thomas moaned to which she only giggled around him.

She worked on him, teeth and tongue gently scraping against his cock, drawing whimpers and whines from his throat. 

Whatever she couldn’t fit in her mouth, her hands worked on instead, soft, delicate fingers brushing against him.

“Audrey Rose,” —a moan— “Saints, I’m close.”

She pulled back, meeting his gaze from between his thighs and murmured around his cock, “not yet.”

Audrey Rose flicked her tongue over the tip one last time before slowly making her way back up his body, trailing kisses up his thighs, abdomen, chest, his neck and jaw. Slow, soft kisses up the entirety of his body. 

Thomas squirmed underneath her at every gentle touch of her lips before she connected them with his own. He parted his lips to deepen the kiss, only for Audrey Rose to pull away. She nudged her nose against his as she smirked.

Once more, Audrey Rose was the lioness and Thomas her prey. 

She rolled her hips on to him, allowing only the very tip of his cock to enter her. He let out a loud moan at the pleasant wetness between her legs. 

Thomas thrust his hips, wanting to gain a deeper fit inside of her, however, Audrey Rose was faster, raising her hips into the air, far away from his own. He shut his eyes as he attempted to catch his breath, chest quickly rising and falling from adrenaline. 

He felt Audrey Rose’s familiar warmth return to his body, her breasts resting against his chest, her face nuzzling the side of his neck. Thomas turned his head, allowing her to place a soft peck to his skin. She mumbled, “be patient, my love.”

Through his heavy breathing, Thomas managed to tease, “I am surprised  _ you _ have lasted this long considering how wet you are.” 

In response, Audrey Rose placed a slow, open-mouthed kiss to the side of his neck, sucking and pulling at his skin. The feeling induced a loud moan from his throat. 

By the time she pulled back, Thomas could only assume that a mark was left on his skin, a mark that he would most certainly treasure. He opened his eyes, his gaze meeting with Audrey Rose’s. 

After moments of staring and admiring one another, Thomas whispered, “you’re beautiful, Audrey Rose.”

“And you are magnificent, Thomas,” his wife replied, brushing his hair—damp with sweat—away from his forehead. 

The look on Audrey Rose’s face suddenly shifted from love to her notorious “I have an idea” face, a face that always meant mischief. Thomas quirked a brow as desire pooled in his abdomen. 

In two swift movements, Audrey Rose cut the ropes that were securing him to the table with her scalpel, freeing his wrists from the tight restraints. The blade fell to the floor with a loud crash and within that very moment, Thomas sat up on the table, burying himself inside of her.

Audrey Rose’s hand met with his chest, pushing him back down against the table beneath him—reclaiming her dominance. 

Thomas’s newly freed hands moved to her knees, sliding up her thighs to grip her waist as she finally began to move. 

Audrey Rose raised her hips only to thrust back down onto him, forcing a moan from both of them. Thomas dug his nails into her sides as she moved, repeatedly thrusting down onto him at a heated pace. 

“ _ Thomas, _ ” she whined, her hands spread across his chest.

“ _ Audrey Rose _ .”

His hands held her waist firmly as she moved on top of him, guiding her hips exactly where he wanted them to go. Audrey Rose let out a whimper, indicating that she was already close. Thomas was on the very edge of that glorious high as well, however, being the gentlemen that he was, he always allowed his wife to climax before himself. 

Shifting his right hand, he slid it down from her waist to her lower abdomen, his palm pressed against her skin. His thumb brushed over her knot, forcing a moan from Audrey Rose’s throat. Despite how close Thomas was, he managed a soft chuckle at how much control he still had over her body—even while pinned beneath her. 

Thomas ghosted circles around her knot with the pad of his thumb, Audrey Rose only quickening the pace of her thrusts to accommodate for the lack of pressure on that particular spot. 

“ _ Please, _ ” Audrey Rose begged, her nails digging into the skin of his chest.

Thomas faintly ran his thumb across her knot one last time, giving himself one final moment of teasing. At the pleasant whine he heard Audrey Rose make in return, Thomas pressed his thumb against the bundle of nerves between her thighs, rubbing in swift circles. 

“ _ Thomas! _ ” Audrey Rose cried out, yelling his name incredibly loudly as he threw her head back. 

Feeling her climax around his cock, Thomas finally— _ finally _ —allowed himself to come, spilling himself inside of her. He moaned out something that resembled Audrey Rose’s name, however, his climax was too strong for him to properly enunciate, instead, creating a mumble of moans and whines. 

As both of their climaxes began to fade, Audrey Rose collapsed against Thomas’s chest, falling against his body. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her impossibly close to his body. One hand travelled up to the back of his head, burying deep in her hair while the other ran up and down her back.

They were both covered in sweat, their chests rising and falling rapidly as they attempted to catch their breaths. 

Thomas’s fingertips massaged Audrey Rose’s scalp as he murmured, “saints, love. That was…”

He found he didn’t have the energy to continue to speak, his body too physically exhausted after everything he had just gone through. 

Audrey Rose braced her hands on the cadaver table on either side of Thomas’s shoulders, pushing herself up into a sitting position. He watched as he raised her hips, freeing his limp cock from her entrance before climbing off of the table. 

Audrey Rose grabbed the scalpel from where it laid on the floor, then using the blade to free Thomas’s ankles from the rope tied around them. She gathered the rope in her arms, carrying it over to the countertop against the wall. 

Meanwhile, Thomas forced his sore body into a sitting position, turning himself so his legs dangled off the edge of the cadaver table. He stared at the floor, shoulders slumped forward from exhaustion—albeit a very pleasant exhaustion as he heard Audrey Rose’s soft footsteps approaching him.

Coming into his line of sight, she moved to stand in between his thighs, taking his hands in her own and raising them to her lips. Audrey Rose pressed a soft kiss to each of his red, chafed wrists, whispering against his skin, “do they hurt?”

Thomas pulled his wrists out of her gentle grip, moving his hands to her waist. He allowed himself to lean forward, his forehead resting in between her breasts as he murmured, “no, they are alright.”

Thomas moved his head side to side, attempting to bury his face deeper into Audrey Rose’s skin. He placed a quick kiss to her body before wrapping his arms completely around her waist, holding her as close as possible. Thomas felt Audrey Rose’s fingers run through his hair, her nails gently scraping against his scalp. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head before saying, “did I tire you out  _ that  _ much, my love?”

Peering up at her, Thomas smiled lazily. 

_ Saints, she was beautiful. _

“Is it offensive if I say yes?” he asked teasingly, the ghost of a smirk upon his lips.

Audrey Rose hummed in thought as she hooked her index finger under Thomas’s chin, lifting his face up to her own. “I do not believe so. As a matter of fact, I deem it quite the compliment.”

After a brief moment, their lips collided in a slow kiss, Audrey Rose’s palm moving to cup his cheek. Thomas felt her hand slide down his neck to rest on his shoulders as she pulled back from his body, looking him in the eye. His hands snaked around her hips, fingers brushing against her lower back.

“Was it too hard? Please let me know if—”

“That was incredible, my love,” Thomas mumbled, knowing exactly what she was referring to. 

Audrey Rose’s gaze flickered back and forth between his eyes, studying him intently. With a flush upon her cheeks and a faint smile on her lips, she hesitantly asked, “honestly?”

Thomas nodded as his previously tired expression grew into a wide grin, his dimples appearing on his cheeks. “Truly,” he answered, removing his hand from her body to rest over his heart then stating, “I would never lie to you, Audrey Rose.”

Her cheeks blushed further at his words before she buried her face into Thomas’s chest. He tucked her underneath his chin, his arms wrapping around her securely. Thomas’s fingers drifted up and down the length of her spine, dancing along her smooth skin. 

After moments of peaceful silence, Thomas pulled back. He nudged his finger beneath Audrey Rose’s chin in a failed attempt for her to look up at him. In retaliation, she only clung closer to his body. 

Thomas could feel the heat of her embarrassment against his skin, the realization bringing a large smile to his face. He tried to pull out of her arms to gain a better visual of her with no such luck.

“Let me look at you, my beautiful wife,” Thomas requested, brushing her dark hair away from the small portion of her face he managed to see. 

Audrey Rose peeked up at him, her cheeks a furious shade of red. She moved to stuff her face into his neck, however, stopping herself. Thomas slowly raised his hand to loosely grip her chin, angling her head fully towards his, allowing him to gaze at every part of her face. 

Leaning forward, Thomas pressed a kiss to her cheek, immediately following it with a kiss to the other. He placed a kiss to her forehead, the tip of her nose, her chin, the space between her brows, her jaw, her closed eyelids, her temples—everywhere he could reach, he kissed her. 

Audrey Rose was giggling and writhing beneath him as he peppered hundreds of tiny kisses across her face. She held firmly onto the sides of his torso.

Eventually, once Thomas was winded, he pulled back with a lazy smile on his lips, whispering beneath his breath, “stunning.”

“I love you,” was all Audrey Rose could respond, her heart too full to care about saying anything else.

Thomas cupped her cheeks, his whole universe in the palm of his hands as he replied, “I love you too.”

He kissed her softly, a short and sweet brush of their lips. 

Thomas dropped his hands back down to her waist, running his fingers up and down the sides of her body. 

Audrey Rose brushed her thumb across one of the cuts on his chest as she spoke, “let me clean the incisions from the scalpel to ensure they don’t get infected.”

Thomas nodded and before he released her from his grip, teased, “you don’t need an excuse to stare at my muscular abdomen, Audrey Rose. You’re welcome to do it any time.” 

He followed the remark with a flirtatious wink, only causing his wife to roll her eyes as she stepped out of his embrace.

Thomas watched her naked backside as she walked over to the countertop, grabbing a cloth and running it under the water from the sink. She wrung out the excess before making her way back over to him, standing in between his thighs once more. 

“I might have to take you up on that offer,” Audrey Rose responded, a smirk present on her lips. 

Thomas let out a laugh as he pecked the underside of her jaw, his hands resting at her waist. He sat up straight, staring down at Audrey Rose’s hands as she brought the damp cloth to his chest, dabbing it over the fresh wounds on his chest. She worked slowly, careful to not open the incisions. Thomas moved his attention from his chest to Audrey Rose’s soft features as she worked along his skin. 

“You are exquisite, Lady Audrey Rose Cresswell. Truly radiant.”

His wife’s eyes met his briefly, flashing him a delicate smile before returning back to his chest. Audrey Rose spoke, “as often as you tell me, I never grow tired of hearing it. It makes me feel beautiful.”

“You are beautiful,” Thomas said, no hint of flirtation or sarcasm in his tone. He spoke as though he was merely stating a fact—as simple as stating that the sky was blue.

“Thank you,” Audrey Rose murmured softly, her voice nearly inaudible.

“May I ask you something, love?” Thomas asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.

Audrey Rose looked up at him, a curious expression on her face as she nodded. “Of course.”

Thomas opened his mouth to speak, immediately pressing his lips together as he attempted to find the correct words. After nearly a minute of silence, Audrey Rose patiently waiting, he questioned, “do you think you’re beautiful?”

Audrey Rose met his gaze, dropping her hands and cloth from his chest at the sudden seriousness. Her brows raised as she answered, “I—well, I wouldn’t consider myself  _ beautiful  _ per se, I—”

“The fact that you don’t know how beautiful you are…” Thomas exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair. “There is not a single cell in your entire body that isn’t perfect, Audrey Rose. Your eyes, your lips, your body, your mind,  _ everything  _ is beautiful.”

Thomas raised his hands to her hair, delicately grabbing a curl and twisting it in his fingers. “I love it when you wear your hair down. Well, I adore it regardless as to how it is styled, but I particularly love when it is down. I love running my fingers through it, holding it in my fists when you do less than decent things to my body. I love how effortless you appear, how you look so much more like yourself—no one to impress, no societal norms to conform to, just you. Wholly and completely,  _ you _ .”

His hand brushed across her cheek, cupping her jaw as his gaze moved to her emerald eyes—her eyes so bright that they nearly looked unreal. “And I love your eyes. I love them because of how gorgeous they are and how vibrant the shade of green is. I love the tiny flecks of gold around your pupils—how they reflect against the sunlight. And most of all, I love your eyes because they remind me of home and comfort, something I didn’t have as a child. When I look into your eyes, Audrey Rose, I am reminded that I no longer live under the same roof as my terrible father, that I have someone who loves me. I look into your eyes and I  _ see love. _ ”

Thomas traced a finger down the length of her neck before repeating the action with his lips, a light trail of kisses down her throat. “I love the way you speak, most of the time so unladylike that it throws even myself off balance. You do not care about how others view you and you are not afraid to vocalize your own beliefs, regardless of society's norms. It is a quality of yours that I greatly admire,” Thomas murmured against her skin.

He continued his trail of kisses down her body to the scar just above her breast, the one he had given her nearly a year ago the night he had created that scandalous painting of her. Thomas brushed his lips over the faint scar, feeling Audrey Rose’s rapid heartbeat as he did so. “What you may consider an imperfection, I consider just another part of you. Much like,” he paused, pulling back from her body to drag his fingertip across her skin, around her body to rest on the back of her thigh. Thomas tenderly tapped the spot where his finger laid, continuing, “this scar.”

He could feel the way Audrey Rose’s breath hitched at the mention of the scar. Rarely did they talk about the events of the Etruria, both of them finding the topic too emotional to discuss frequently. Thomas spoke, “this scar evokes many emotions. Guilt and melancholy and fear, however, it also reminds me of love. I will forever feel responsible for this scar, there is no denying it. No matter the number of times you tell me that it wasn’t my fault, I will always take the blame. But even more so than guilt, I feel this deep sense of despair that I cannot explain. I remember cradling you in my arms as you bled out, completely unconscious. I remember sobbing over your body, praying to some otherworldly power that you wouldn’t die—not here and not now.”

Thomas took a deep breath, containing the tears in his eyes. “In Romania, it was the first time I could see myself having a future. I could  _ finally  _ picture myself marrying someone and having children with them, finally  _ living.  _ And when you were bleeding in my arms…it felt as though the world was playing a cruel joke on me—giving me all I had ever wanted only to take it away in a matter of seconds.” He paused, inhaled deeply through his nose as a tear slipped down his face. “I almost lost you, Audrey Rose. I almost lost you and it nearly killed me.”

Audrey Rose leaned forward, tears threatening to fall from her own eyes as she pressed a kiss to Thomas’s tear-stained cheek.

Wanting to think and talk about something else, Audrey Rose sniffled quickly and spoke, “you said my scar also reminds you of love?”

Thomas held back the remainder of his unfallen tears. “Ah, yes.  _ Love _ .” Audrey Rose smiled encouragingly at him, Thomas returning the gesture as he elaborated, “your scar reminds me of love because it shaped you into the person you are today. Without that experience—as horrendous as it was—you wouldn’t be  _ you.  _ I would be talking to a completely different Audrey Rose Cresswell, not my wife whom I love with my entire heart.”

“Thomas, I—”

“I am not finished, love,” he stated as though the possibility of him being done speaking was absurd. Thomas dragged his fingertip up from her scar over her rear and up her back, stopping nearly halfway up her torso. His finger tapped a spot just to the left of her spine as he said, “you are perfect, Audrey Rose. Every minuscule detail is absolutely perfect. Everything down to the freckle right here on your back.”

Audrey Rose quirked a brow. “I have a freckle on my back?”

Thomas nodded as his finger migrated up her back and around the curve of her shoulder to the back of her arm, stopping halfway between her shoulder and elbow. He lightly tapped her skin with his fingertip as he added, “and one here too.”

Audrey Rose turned her head awkwardly to look at the back of her arm, indeed, seeing a freckle upon her skin, directly beneath Thomas’s finger. How he knew exactly where her freckle was located without looking, Audrey Rose had no idea, but her heart was too full of love to care. 

Thomas admired her face as her brows rose, facing him once more. Tears pooled in her eyes, making her irises appear a vibrant shade of green as she spoke, barely more than a whisper, “you have them memorized?”

“Of course I do.” 

Audrey Rose continued to stare at him, her lips parted slightly in awe as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. Thomas brought his hand up to her face, carefully wiping away her fallen tears with the pad of his thumb, whispering, “don’t cry,  _ Iubirea mea _ . _ ” _

His softly spoken words only caused Audrey Rose to let out a sob, a fountain of tears now pouring down her face. 

“Sweetheart, come here,” Thomas requested, opening his arms to accompany her body.

Audrey Rose fell into his body, burying her face into his neck as she sobbed. Thomas ran a calming hand up and down her back as she cried, holding her tightly to his chest. 

He held her in his arms for many minutes, the silence a comfort for the both of them. Audrey Rose pulled back, only far enough to peer up at his face, still in his warm arms. Thomas watched her nose wrinkle as she sniffled back her tears, finding the small gesture absolutely adorable. He brushed her damp cheeks once again, asking, “what’s the matter, love?”

Audrey Rose shook her head. “I love you. I don’t know what else to say other than  _ I love you _ .”

She pulled him against her body, Thomas immediately falling into her. He held her waist firmly as he parted his lips, allowing Audrey Rose to brush her tongue against his own. Thomas groaned against her mouth, kneading the skin at her sides with his thumbs. 

Once they were both out of breath, separating due to the lack of oxygen, Thomas murmured against her lips, “I love you too.”

Audrey Rose glanced down between them, grabbing the cool damp cloth that had fallen into Thomas’s lap some amount of time ago. She dabbed the cloth against his chest, over the cuts, one more time before setting the fabric next to Thomas. He caught her hands in his own, lifting them to his lips to brush a kiss over her knuckles. 

“Thomas?” Audrey Rose questioned, breaking the peaceful quiet of the room.

“Hmm?”

“Perhaps next time I could be the cadaver?”

Thomas teased, “already planning for next time? We only just finished half an hour ago.”

Audrey Rose rolled her eyes, saying, “I am serious, Thomas. Don’t get me wrong, I adore seeing you writhing with desire underneath me, however, I also want to experience it for myself —t o have you fully in control for once.”

Thomas bit his lower lip in thought. “I am not opposed. My only request is that you don’t ask me to do anything that has the potential to injure you, including scalpels. The thought of me putting a blade to your skin? I don’t know if I could bring myself to do it.”

Audrey Rose nodded solemnly. “I understand. There are other options for us to experiment with that do not involve cutting me open like a cadaver.”

He let out a loose chuckle, Audrey Rose joining in a short fit of laughter before fading off into silence. 

They stood in one another's arms, tracing patterns on one another’s skin for what could have been hours when Thomas finally spoke, “your uncle shall be returning soon.”

Audrey Rose understood his underlying words — _ we should go home _ —then  stepping out of the comforting circle of his arms. Thomas hopped down from the table, following his wife to their discarded pile of clothing on the floor. 

Grabbing her stockings, Thomas knelt before Audrey Rose, her hands braced on his shoulders as he carefully put her stockings onto her body. Still knelt to the floor, Thomas grasped her chemise, standing from the hard floor before Audrey Rose. He placed it over her head, the thin fabric draping aloft her figure. 

Thomas moved back to their still rather large pile of clothing, rummaging through the assortment of pieces before coming across her drawers. Kneeling before her once more, Audrey Rose stepped into the garment, allowing Thomas to tie the string around her waist. 

Next came her corset, Thomas’s least favourite part of dressing Audrey Rose. Corsets were designed only for aesthetic, not even remotely for comfort. Considering how Thomas always thought Audrey Rose was beautiful, both her mind and her body, corsets seemed unnecessary to him. Why alter the shape of her body when it was already perfect, especially with the amount of pain it caused her to wear it?

Thomas placed the corset onto her body, turning her in his arms so he could work on the elegant laces at her back. He tightened them, each pull of his hands causing him to wince at the pain he was most certainly causing Audrey Rose. 

“It needs to be tighter, love,” she spoke, turning her head towards Thomas even though she still couldn’t see him. 

Thomas frowned as he took a step closer to her, pressing his naked body against her backside. He gathered her hair in his hands, draping it over a shoulder to give himself access to her bare neck, placing a feathery kiss to her skin before resting his chin upon her shoulder. “I don’t like these torture devices made for women.”

Audrey Rose let out a short laugh. “It is not a torture device, Thomas.”

He scoffed disapprovingly and lifted his chin from her shoulder, grumbling, “it might as well be.”

Rolling her eyes, Audrey Rose looked back towards him as she stated, “you are being dramatic, darling, as per usual.”

“They cause you pain, do they not?” Thomas commented, raising a brow at the question. 

“Well, yes. However —”

“Did you know that fainting is more common among women than it is upon men and the source of it has been potentially linked to wearing corsets?” Thomas began, his voice slightly more stern than usually. “There are no benefits to wearing corsets, my love. That is unless you are a male who only cares about the appearance of your wife. The only reason corsets exist is to alter the shape of a woman’s body—which for you, my wife—is entirely  useless because your body is already perfect .” He paused, exhaling through his mouth. “I don’t like seeing you in pain, Audrey Rose, especially when the object that is causing you pain is redundant.”

She remained quiet for a long moment, processing everything Thomas had said. Audrey Rose knew he wasn’t wrong, that he was very much correct, however, just because one person had the right outlook on something didn’t mean the rest of society did. She knew Thomas’s own opinion wasn’t strong enough to sway the rest of the world into thinking the same. 

Thomas watched her in silence, using his arms that were wrapped around her figure to pull her closer to his chest. 

Audrey Rose finally spoke, “sometimes I feel as though my love for you has reached its maximum capacity, but then you say things like this and my love for you only increases.”

Thomas turned her halfway in his arms, enough to connect his lips to hers in a long kiss. He cupped her cheek, pressing closer to her body as he softly kissed her. When they finally pulled apart, Thomas pressed a light kiss to the corner of her mouth. Audrey Rose turned, facing away from him so he had access to the laces of her “female torture device”. 

As he began working on her corset, he spoke, “the bitter almond scent was a nice touch if I do say so myself, darling.” Despite not being able to see her features, Thomas knew she was blushing. He continued, “as well as the part about my pupils.”

“I wanted to keep it as authentic and as accurate as possible. I’m glad you noticed,” Audrey Rose responded. 

Thomas finished with the laces of her corset as he stated, “of course I noticed. I am a man who appreciates fine detail, Audrey Rose. You should know this by now. We  _ have  _ been married for 2 years, 3 months, 18 days and—” he checked the clock on the wall, “—roughly 3 hours.”

Audrey Rose turned in his arms, shaking her head as she laughed. Her hands met with his arms, running along his skin up to his shoulders. 

“You are insufferable,” Audrey Rose said with a grin.

“Insufferably attractive, yes.”

His wife only pressed her lips to his in response, preventing him from making another egotistical comment. Audrey Rose released him from her grip, allowing Thomas to grab her underskirts off of the floor, tying the item onto her body. Audrey Rose faced him as he grabbed her bustle, placing it at her back and tying the strings together at the front of her body. 

Thomas took hold of her discarded bodice, buttoning up the front of the garment before lastly, grabbed her skirts off of the floor and placing it on her body, leaving her fully dressed and him completely bare. Thomas grabbed her silk gloves off of the countertop, handing them to Audrey Rose. He watched as she quickly slipped them onto her hands, managing to steal a quick kiss to her cheek in the process. 

_ BANG! _

Both Thomas and Audrey Rose flinched at the sudden sound, quickly facing the closed door of the room before meeting each other’s gaze. They shared a silent exchange, both knowing what the source of the loud noise was. 

It was the main door of the lab being shut—which could only mean one thing.

Jonathan Wadsworth had returned. 

Thomas caught Audrey Rose gazing up and down at his naked body, however, this time it wasn’t for her own pleasure. 

“What are we going to do?” she whisper-yelled at him. 

He looked at the door then back at her, answering in a whisper, “you dress the bottom half, I’ll dress the top half?”

Audrey Rose could only nod before they both dived towards the remainder of clothing on the floor, Thomas grabbing his collared shirt and pulling it onto his arms while Audrey Rose tugged his drawers up to his waist, tying them into place. 

“ _ Hurry _ ,” she whined. “Uncle will be in here any moment.”

Thomas finished with the final button of his shirt then grabbing his waistcoat off of the floor as he replied, “I am well aware, Audrey Rose.” 

He managed to get the item onto his body while stepping into his pants, Audrey Rose then pulling them up the long length of his legs and buttoning them around his waist. His wife then grabbed his elegant black suit jacket off of the floor, holding it up for him to slip his arms into. Thomas tugged it into place, adjusting the lapels to fit comfortably around his neck. 

With no more than a second to spare, both Thomas and Audrey Rose’s attention returned to the doorway as Jonathan Wadsworth entered the lab, immediately flashing the pair a perplexed expression. “What are you two doing here? I did not need either of your assistance today,” Jonathan spoke, taking a hesitant step into the room.

Thomas turned towards Audrey Rose only to see her face turn a bright shade of red. Covering for her, he responded, “Audrey Rose’s scalpel was getting a tad dull so we came to find her a new one.”

Jonathan nodded slowly. “Ahh, I see. Were you successful in your search?”

This time, Audrey Rose answered, “indeed, Uncle.” She secretly grabbed the scalpel from the countertop behind her, then raising her hand to showcase the sharp blade in her fist as though she had been holding it the whole time. “Practically brand new.”

Dr. Wadsworth bowed his head slightly in understanding, glancing between Thomas and Audrey Rose. Thomas took the moment to look at his wife, the both of them sharing a look that read “ _ we’ve fooled him _ ”. 

He looked towards Jonathan once more, clearing his throat before saying, “Audrey Rose and I were just on our way out.”

“Then I shall see you two tomorrow,” Jonathan said. 

Thomas held out his hand for Audrey Rose to grasp, lacing their fingers together and squeezing them comfortingly. They began walking towards the door, nearly completely out of the room when Jonathan added, “and by the way…”

Thomas dropped Audrey Rose’s hand as they both turned to face him. 

Jonathan continued, “Thomas, son, the buttons on your shirt are done up incorrectly.”

Audrey Rose turned her attention to Thomas’s chest, himself doing the same to see that indeed his buttons were done up incorrectly and more accurately, a mess. Many of them were very noticeably skipped or paired with the wrong hole. Thankfully, a large portion of them were covered due to the presence of his waistcoat, however, it was clear by the visible buttons that the rest were just as jumbled. 

Thomas flushed a bright shade of pink, as did his wife. He raised his head to meet Jonathan’s gaze, the ghost of a smirk evident on his face.

“It appears as though you are correct, my dear Uncle-in-law.”

Jonathan allowed himself a swift smile, his mouth immediately returning to a straight line as he cleared his throat. “Have a nice day, Thomas,” he spoke in a tone that implied his true words of choice,  _ please leave _ . He turned to Audrey Rose, adding, “you as well, my niece.”

She nodded her head once as she replied, “have a nice day, Uncle Jonathan.”

With rosy cheeks, Thomas took Audrey Rose’s hand in his own, intertwining their fingers together as he guided her out the door of the lab. They stopped, breathing in the fresh air of the outdoors. It was a nice day out, slightly overcast although it was relatively warm. 

Standing in awkward silence, Thomas watched his feet as he kicked at the stones on the ground and finally, after minutes of remaining quiet, Thomas faced his wife and stated, “love, your Uncle most certainly kno—“

“I’m aware, Thomas.”

Silence fell over them once more, the feeling oddly uncomfortable before Thomas swiftly took ahold of Audrey Rose’s arm, pulling her into his chest as he tightly wrapped his arms around her. He burst into a fit of laughter, Audrey Rose’s giggles quickly joining though the sound was muffled due to how closely he held onto her. 

They laughed until their stomachs began to hurt, they had trouble catching their breaths and their eyes filled with unshed tears. Thomas sighed deeply as their laughter died down into heavy breathing. 

Audrey Rose gasped, looking up at him with a scandalized expression. Thomas only quirked a brow of curiosity in return.

“We forgot the blindfold on the floor,” she explained, pressing her forehead against his chest before murmuring, “it was still tied in the shape of one too!”

Thomas laughed once more, cutting off his chuckles by pressing his lips to Audrey Rose’s. He found the distraction worked successfully. 

“I love you,” he stated, a wide grin present on his handsome features. 

Audrey Rose smiled in return. “And I love you.”


	11. Hours Upon Hours *NSFW - Modern AU*

The steaming water rained down Thomas’s body, soaking his brunette curls. He ran his slender fingers through his hair, pushing the wet strands out of his face as he tilted his head up towards the showerhead, causing water to run down his face and neck. Thomas’s eyes remained closed as he exhaled, appreciating the relaxing warmth of the shower before the long day of work that was quickly approaching. He swallowed, the action causing his Adam's apple to bob. Thomas ran his hands over his face, still exhausted with sleep. 

It was too early. 

Far too early.

Jonathan Wadsworth had requested his attendance at the lab today, something about “needing assistance with paperwork” and “needing someone to deal with Superintendent Blackburn”. Thomas could have politely refused, making up some form of excuse as to why he couldn’t make it, however, with Jonathan being Audrey Rose’s uncle, Thomas would prefer to remain on his good side. 

Besides, his work today only required one person and if he had refused, Jonathan would’ve asked for Audrey Rose’s assistance instead. With Thomas and Audrey Rose’s wedding soon approaching, his fiancée hadn’t been getting much sleep as of late due to stressing over wedding planning with Liza. Audrey Rose needed the extra few hours of sleep more than he did and Thomas was happy to sacrifice that for her. 

Amidst his quiet thinking under the hot water, felt a light brush of fingertips against his back, causing him to flinch. He turned, the water from the showerhead now running down his back as Thomas’s gaze met with Audrey Rose who had somehow managed to sneak into the shower without him noticing. 

All the sleep that was previously present in Thomas’s body was suddenly gone. The sight of Audrey Rose’s naked figure stirred a deep desire within him, the slight smirk of her lips and needy look in her emerald eyes didn’t help either. 

Thomas’s eyes travelled from her eyes to her lips, so soft and full. Next, down her neck to her exposed breasts, her nipples peaked. His eyes moved down the plain of her stomach, past her waist to her lean, long legs before trailing back up her body, soaking in every inch of her bare skin.

_ Stunning. Just as always, stunning. _

Thomas felt his cock harden with lust.

He knew that Audrey Rose was aware of his hardened cock though she didn’t acknowledge its presence. Thomas knew—despite how desperately he wanted to—that he couldn’t take Audrey Rose upon the shower wall in that exact moment. He still had much to do before heading to work in an hour, a tight schedule that didn’t have enough room for everything he wanted to do her. 

Thomas’s self-restraint was wearing thin. 

“Thomas,” Audrey Rose breathed out, her voice so quiet that Thomas thought he had imagined it. She took a small step towards him, delicately raising her hand up to his chest—just above his racing heartbeat. The hot water of the shower poured onto Audrey Rose’s body, individual drops falling down her face and neck.

Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell had died. 

He had died and gone to heaven.

Regardless of his better judgement, knowing that he had a long day of work ahead of him, Thomas took a hesitant step towards his fiancée, now so close that their bodies were only a hairs width apart. 

When Thomas finally spoke, his voice came out strained and no more than a whisper, “may I touch you?”

“Please,” was all Audrey Rose replied, equally as quiet. 

Thomas’s gentle fingers wrapped around her waist, faintly pulling her closer.

It was the calm before the storm, and  _ saints _ was the storm beautiful.

They crashed into one another, their lips colliding in a heated kiss. Audrey Rose’s arms wrapped his neck, pulling him closer as she opened her mouth to accept his tongue. He explored the inside of her mouth as he had done so thousands upon thousands of times before. 

Thomas’s hands slid over her rear, receiving a pleasant gasp from Audrey Rose at the contact. He gripped the undersides of her thighs, hoisting her into his arms as her legs wrapped instinctively around his waist, their lips never parting. Thomas quickly pushed Audrey Rose against the shower wall, trapping her in his arms. He pried his lips away from hers, instead, trailing open-mouthed kisses across the wet skin of her jaw and neck, leaving bruises in its wake. Audrey Rose’s nails dug into his shoulders, causing him to groan against her skin. 

“Thomas,  _ please _ .” She let out a loud moan as Thomas bit down on her shoulder, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to leave a mark. “ _ I need you _ .”

Thomas pulled his mouth away from her skin, instead, meeting her gaze. 

What he ever did to deserve the goddess that was Audrey Rose Wadsworth, Thomas would never know, but he was eternally grateful. 

He kissed her cheek.

Then the other.

Then the tip of her nose.

Then the centre of her forehead.

Then her chin.

Then the corner of her lips where a smile threatened to tug upwards.

Then the other corner of her lips, her grin finally breaking through.

Lastly, Thomas kissed her lips, slow and soft. 

When they parted, Thomas looked down, as did Audrey Rose, both of them watching as Thomas slid into her. His fiancée tossed her head back with a moan, Thomas simultaneously letting out a whimper of pleasure. Audrey Rose dropped one of her legs from around his waist, landing on the tip of her toes. Thomas held her waist with one hand, the other still gripping her thigh of the leg hooked around his waist as he began thrusting his hips. 

His lips returned to her neck, sucking and nipping at her skin. Meanwhile, Audrey Rose placed open-mouthed kisses across his chest. 

“Faster,” Audrey Rose murmured.

Thomas obliged, quickening his pace inside her, his fingertips digging into her skin. He slid his hand from her waist to her lower abdomen, pressing his thumb against her knot. 

“ _ Please, _ ” Audrey Rose whined. “I’m so close, Thomas.”

That made two of them. 

He pressed harder against her knot as he quickened his thrusts before rubbing his thumb in fast circles, causing Audrey Rose to scream out his name as her climax crashed through her body. Thomas came moments after, collapsing against her in a heap of pleasure and heavy breathing. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her damp skin. 

After minutes in one another's arms, Thomas pulled out of her, allowing Audrey Rose to drop her leg to the floor. He reached an arm behind him and turned off the water, leaving them in silence. Audrey Rose wrapped her arms around his torso, hiding in the warm of his chest. 

“Darling, I have to get going,” Thomas stated reluctantly as he tucked her wet hair behind her ear, attempting to pull out of her embrace. Audrey Rose only held him tighter. 

“No, please,” she mumbled against his skin, her voice sounding similar to a child's. 

Thomas let out a breathy chuckle. “Believe me, my love, the last thing I want right now is to go to work, however, I regret to inform you that I don’t have a choice in the matter. I promised your uncle nearly a week ago that I would assist him today.”

Audrey Rose peeked up at him. “Call in sick.”

“You know I cannot do that.”

She pouted at him, her eyes wide with adoration as Thomas’s fingers lightly grazed her spine, up and down. “Call my uncle and tell him his niece requests that her fiancé stays home to pleasure her for hours upon hours.”

“Hours upon hours?” Thomas questioned.

“Hours upon hours,” she confirmed. “Is there a problem with that?”

Thomas shook his head. “I am certainly not opposed. Though I doubt your uncle would appreciate that phone call.”

“Hmmm,” Audrey Rose responded and pressed her lips to Thomas’s in a short peck. Her expression turned serious. “Do you really have to go?”

Thomas sighed, shutting his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers. “Unless you can convince Jonathan otherwise, yes, I do have to go.”

Audrey Rose swiftly pulled out of Thomas’s arms and left the shower, only looking back to say, “I have an idea, wait a moment!”

Thomas watched her run off before stepping out of the shower. He dried off his wet body before tying his towel around his waist. 

“Thomas,” Audrey Rose singsonged from behind him after minutes of her disappearance. He turned, facing the doorway to see his fiancée peeking around the door frame with a devilish grin. 

She entered the bathroom, her body still completely bare as she enthusiastically made her way over to Thomas, raising her hands to grip his shoulders. Thomas’s hands met with her waist as he lifted a brow, prompting her to speak, “as far as my uncle is now concerned, we have wedding preparations that I forgot to tell you about.”

Thomas nodded in a silent thank you before smirking and pulling her closer, her nipples brushing against his chest. “Wedding preparations, huh?”

Audrey Rose arched her back at his touch as his lips found hers. “Perhaps a more suitable name would be wedding  _ night  _ preparations.”

Thomas didn’t respond, he only lifted Audrey Rose into his arms and carried her to their bedroom where he then pleasured her for hours upon hours, just as she had requested. 


	12. I Cannot Wait

_ Whirl-churn. Whirl-churn.  _

The sound echoed in my head, over and over again.

_ Whirl-churn. Whirl-churn.  _

I was suddenly back home, gazing at my brother with tears in my eyes—begging for what had become my reality to all be false. 

_ Whirl-churn. Whirl-churn.  _

My brother, my lovely older brother, Nathaniel, was Jack the Ripper. A killer. 

_ Whirl-churn. Whirl-churn.  _

Staring at his cold dead body, my father kneeling by his side, I cupped my hands over my mouth, muffling a sob.

My innocent brother who had helped teach me to read, who wiped my tears when I had tripped and fallen in the garden, who ran around the house with me, who  _ loved me,  _ was a murderer. 

A cold blooded killer.

And now he was dead. 

Nathaniel was no more than a cold, limp body on the floor.

_ Dead. _

“Wadsworth?”

The feeling of firm hands gripping my arms snapped me back to reality. 

I blinked rapidly, attempting to clear the vision from my memory before focusing my gaze on Thomas who stood before me, hands holding my upper arms.

“Audrey Rose, are you alright?” Thomas spoke again, moving one of his hands to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. 

I could not speak, could not  _ breathe  _ as tears threatened to fall from my eyes _.  _ I clenched my hands into fists to prevent them from shaking. 

Thomas understood, nodding once in confirmation before turning towards Uncle Jonathan. 

“Audrey Rose isn’t feeling very well, Dr. Wadsworth, it appears as though she may have caught a cold. If you can handle this yourself, I will escort her back to her chambers,” Thomas explained.

Jonathan nodded. “Of course, Thomas. Please make sure she returns back to the hotel safely. You may stay with her if you wish, I can take care of this victim on my own.” 

Uncle turned his attention towards me, speaking, “do inform me when you begin to feel better, my niece. Your intelligence and assistance are crucial to this case if we wish to solve it.”

I could only manage a short bow of my head in comprehension, any more vigorous movement having the potential to make me vomit. Thomas’s hand rested on my lower back, guiding me away from the scene of the crime. I dared one last glance at the corpse, the victim’s features all too familiar.

The same silky, blond hair perfectly combed back from his face, his bright, emerald eyes, clear complexion,  _ everything _ . The cadaver could have been a mirror image of my late brother. 

A soft sob escaped past my throat and Thomas only ushered me away faster, whispering in my ear, “it is alright, Audrey Rose, we are in New York, far, far away from England. Focus on my voice, I am here, love. I am right here.”

I took a deep breath, mumbling, “keep talking, please. Distract me.”

Thomas continued, “when I first fell in love with you, I had sent many letters to Daciana explaining my vast feelings for you. At the time, I did not realize those feelings were love, on the contrary, I thought I was growing ill.”

By the time Thomas had finished speaking, his sweet story calming me greatly, we had reached the hotel. He lead me up to my chambers in silence, my breath finally returning to its regular, steady pace. Thomas held the door open as I walked into my chambers, murmuring a quick, “thank you,” for his kind act of chivalry. 

He watched me from the doorway as I walked over to my large bed, resting my cane against the wall beside it and crawling on top of the covers. I gripped one of the pillows to my chest, burying my face into it. 

After minutes of silence, Thomas spoke from the doorway, “I can stay if you would like. Or if you would prefer some time alone just tell me so and I will leave immediately.”

I peeked up from my pillow, raising my arm out towards him, reaching for him. 

“Stay,” I murmured softly. 

The ghost of a smile graced Thomas lips then pushing off of the doorframe—the door shutting behind him—as he crossed the distance between us. He hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed beside me, his back towards me. Thomas turned slightly in order to look down at me, his fingers moving to brush my hair out of my face before tracing my cheekbone and jaw. He repeated the action, starting at my temple and working his way down the side of me face, across my cheekbone then along my jaw, gentle touches of his fingertips. 

The feeling of Thomas’s fingers on my skin was both a distraction and a means of comfort, calming my anxious body into a state of relative peace. 

“Is this alright?” Thomas asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

I nodded lightly. “Yes, this is more than alright. Thank you.”

“Do you wish to talk about it?” he asked tentatively. 

In response, I took ahold of Thomas’s hand, gently pulling it away from my face to my lips, brushing a faint kiss across his knuckles. “He looked just like Nathaniel, Thomas.  _ Exactly _ like my brother. And seeing him lying there dead...it brought me back to Nathaniel all over again.”

Thomas’s tongue ran across his lips, dry from the cold January weather outside. He spoke, “I know, Wadsworth.” He paused, regaining his thoughts before continuing, “you are not weak, Audrey Rose. Being reminded of what happened to Jack the Ripper those few months ago is not your fault, and it is certainly not something to be ashamed of. You are so incredibly strong.”

A tear slipped down my cheek at his words, Thomas then wiping it away with his thumb. When he noticed I made no move to speak, he added, “what would you like me to do, my love? I am wholeheartedly at your bidding.”

I met his gaze, staring intently into his brown eyes, the small flecks of gold shining in the light coming from the window. In his eyes, I only saw love. So much love, it nearly caused my heart to burst from my chest. Moments had passed when I finally answered, “I want you to hold me. I want to be in your arms.”

The corner of Thomas’s lips curled upwards—though only slightly—before shifting his body onto the bed, lowering himself beside me. Nearly a foot of distance laid between our bodies, however, my heart still raced. This might have possibly been the most scandalous act I had ever committed with Thomas, but I found that I didn’t care. All I cared about was the man before me, the man who I loved with my entire heart. 

“Hello, Wadsworth,” Thomas whispered.

I couldn’t help the grin that formed on my lips as I spoke, equally as quiet, “hello, Cresswell.”

After moments of tranquil anticipation without so much as breathing passed, Thomas finally wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. I melted into the feeling of him, his warm body flush against my own, my face pressed against his neck, smelling the strong scent of his cologne that reminded me of home. Wherever Thomas was would always be home to me. 

I sighed, burying myself deeper into him, Thomas only holding me closer. 

Quite some time had passed, consisting of Thomas’s soft fingers traveling across my body, when he said, “once we are married, we will get to do  _ this  _ all the time, whenever we would like.”

I smiled, pulling back slightly only to look up at him. “Once we are married I will get to wake up every morning like this, in your arms, you holding me close.”

Thomas hummed in response, nuzzling his face into my hair. “I cannot wait.”

Stuffing my face back into the warm skin of his neck, placing a soft kiss to his skin, I murmured, “neither can I.”


	13. CTD Chapter 11 Continuation *NSFW*

_ I grinned. Thomas enjoyed saying shocking things to gauge my response. There was no reason I couldn’t match him in that area. “Your deductions might not be as sharp as you think if you believe I lack motivation, Cresswell.” _

_ His jaw practically hit the floor. Immensely satisfied, I bent my head, kissing the inked area above his heart. With or without the rose tattoo as a permanent marking, Thomas Cresswell was mine. When a small gasp escaped him, I covered his mouth with my own, claiming him fully. _

His kisses always drove me mad, but  _ this.  _ This was unlike anything I had ever felt. His tongue exploring my mouth felt heavenly, his soft lips pulling me closer. Thomas groaned against my mouth, prompting me to slide my hands to his chest, unbuttoning the last few buttons of his completely soaked through shirt. His hand braced my back as he leaned forward, just enough to allow me to slip his shirt off of his body, dropping it onto the tiles outside of the porcelain tub without once removing my lips from his. Thomas’s hands explored my naked body as he kissed me, holding me closer to his chest with every brush of his tongue against my own.

I splayed my hands along Thomas’s firm chest, one of my palms resting over the rose and skull inked into his skin, feeling the quick pace of his heartbeat. One of his hands slid up my back to cup the back of my neck, fingertips sliding into my hair. I dragged my hands down the length of his torso, hooking my fingers into the waistband of his trousers. I popped the button open, tugging lightly at the wet fabric. Thomas pried his lips from my own, remaining only a hair's width away from my mouth when he murmured, “Go ahead.”

I pushed out of his embrace, immediately missing the warmth of his body. I tucked my fingertips into his trousers and drawers and in one movement of my arms, pulled the articles of clothing down his legs, removing them entirely from his body. The garments fell from my fingers, landing on the floor of the bathing chamber with a wet thud. I gazed up and down at Thomas’s naked figure, a sight that I had imagined more times than I cared to admit. The images in my head, however, were nothing in comparison to actual sight. 

“Like what you see?” Thomas remarked, flashing me his signature charming smirk. 

I could only smile in return as my cheeks heated, my heart too full of love to manage to roll my eyes. Thomas reached forward, taking hold of my waist and drawing me back onto his lap, the feeling of our completely bare bodies pressed against one another both new and exhilarating. 

“How far do you wish to go, my lovely fiancée?” Thomas asked, his question undeniably genuine with a hint of his notorious Cresswell teasing. I settled on his lap, adjusting my hips in order to sit more comfortably against him as his hands travelled up my spine, cupping my shoulder blades. 

From the angle we were sitting I had to angle my head downwards slightly in order to meet Thomas’s gaze. I placed my hands on his arms, sliding up his damp skin to his shoulders before wrapping my arms loosely around his neck. “It’s not a matter of how far I  _ want  _ to go, Thomas. It’s a matter of how far we  _ should  _ go.”

“If you are referring to societal norms, my dear Wadsworth, then I regret to inform you that we have already well exceeded those lines of modesty,” Thomas spoke, the hint of a devilish smile upon his lips. 

“You know what I mean, Cresswell.” 

Thomas exhaled and leaned back against the porcelain tub, allowing me to gaze upon his muscular chest and abdomen, the skull and rose tattoo above his heart. “That I do, Audrey Rose.”

I let out a sigh as I brought my fingertip to his chest, delicately tracing the lines of his tattoo as I continued, “I want to go all the way with you, truly, Thomas, however, we are not married yet and there is the risk of a pregnancy and—”

“Then we won’t go all the way, not yet at least.” Thomas raised his hand to brush his knuckles across the damp skin of my cheek before softly swiping his thumb across my lower lip. “There are a myriad of other ways to pleasure one another for the time being.”

My toes curled at the indecent suggestion in his tone, the desire and aching need evident as he spoke. Not wanting to give into him quite yet, I ran my fingers through the wet brunette waves of his hair, my nails gently scraping his scalp. “Such as…?”

Thomas straightened his back, his chest flush against my breasts as he lowered his head, lips meeting with the skin of my jaw. He trailed slow, open-mouthed kisses down the side of my neck, stopping halfway only to mumble his answer against my skin, “with my mouth...” 

He trailed off, resuming with the sucking and kissing on my neck and in return, I tossed my head back, giving him more room for his lips to explore. Thomas’s hands drifted down the sides of my body then immediately across the tops of my thighs, sparking a gasp from my lips. Too soon, his hands stopped moving, settling on my legs as he brushed his thumbs along the insides of my thighs. “Or with my fingers…”

I only hummed in response.

“Just tell me what you want me to do, Wadsworth. I am wholly, completely at your bidding, soon to be Mrs. Thomas Cresswell,” Thomas spoke, his lips still pressed against the skin of my chest. My breath hitched in my throat as he placed a feathery kiss to my skin, his mouth moving closer and closer to my breast with every scandalous kiss. 

“I love the sound of that,” I stated simply, tracing light designs along his collarbone and shoulder. 

Thomas raised a brow, “the part about my fingers or my mouth?”

I shook my head. “You calling me  _ ‘soon to be Mrs. Thomas Cresswell’ _ .”

The corner of Thomas’s lip curled upwards into a smile. “Mmmm. And I love saying it,  _ soon to be Mrs. Thomas Cresswell _ .” He kissed his way up the column of her throat, repeating in a whisper underneath his breath, “just tell me what you want me to do, Wadsworth.”

Thomas’s lips made it back to my own, brushing over mine, no more than a whisper of a kiss. I dipped my head down to his chest kissing the rose and skull tattoo placed just above his racing heart before brushing the pad of my thumb over the fresh ink. It was nearly brand new, making me wonder exactly when my fiance managed to slip away from my side to get it done. I pushed the thought aside as I pressed a kiss to it once again. Finally, I answered his question, “I want you to touch me, Thomas.” 

He swallowed and I watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat at my words. Thomas asked hesitantly, “are you sure?”

I managed a nod despite how nervous I was myself. As much as I wanted this—as  _ we  _ wanted this—it was all so new to the both of us. “I am certain, Thomas.”

At my confirmation, his right hand slowly slid from my thigh, moving towards the space between my thighs. I spread my legs slightly wider to accommodate. Thomas kept his eyes on my face, searching for any signal to stop until his fingers hovered just above my entrance. His gaze faltered, both of us now looking at the space between us.

With a sudden amount of confidence, I delicately gripped Thomas’s hand in my own, guiding his index finger into my entrance. A moan accidentally slipped past my lips at the feeling. I swiftly placed a hand over my mouth, my cheeks turning a bright shade of red. Thomas’s finger remained inside me, unmoving, as he tsked, “Audrey Rose, my love, we don’t want your Uncle, Aunt, Father, cousin, my sister or Ileana to hear what we are doing in here, now do we? Do not get me wrong, as much as I would  _ love  _ to hear you moan my name loud enough to—”

“ _ Cresswell _ .”

“My apologies,” Thomas teased, a smirk still very much present on his lips. I opened my mouth to make a clever retort, but the feeling of Thomas’s finger thrusting into my entrance caused me to choke on my words. He repeated the movement, pulling his finger out only to push it back into my body at a tauntingly slow pace. To prevent our relatives with the scarring sounds Thomas forced out of my body, I brought my lips to his chest, muffling my moans significantly. The next thrust consisted of two of his fingers, working pleasantly inside me.

It felt incredible, better than I ever could have imagined. Being naked in the tub with Thomas Cresswell, his fingers buried inside of me, it all felt surreal. Fiance. He was officially my fiance. 

I whimpered against Thomas’s skin as he slipped a third finger into me. 

“ _ Thomas _ ,” I murmured, “Please.”

I didn’t know what exactly I was begging for, I couldn’t imagine it feeling any better, but there was still a deep ache in me, something I didn’t quite understand. My knowledge of this type of relationship—the one between bodies in a sexual manner—was very slim. With Amelia as an aunt, even referring to the fact I knew what sex was was enough to scandalize her for a lifetime, let alone having any real knowledge on the subject.

Thomas’s fingers quickened inside me, drawing more moans and whines from my throat. Everything built up inside me, need, want, desire,  _ everything,  _ as though I were climbing a grand staircase, finally reaching the top. Then all at once, it crashed into me.

I cried out against his chest, reaching a high I didn’t know existed. 

Thomas’s fingers slowed as I gasped against his chest, taking in as much air as I could. His fingers pulled out of me completely, his arms wrapping comfortingly around him, holding me close to his chest. I could feel Thomas’s fingers brush up and down the length of my spine as I buried my face into his neck. 

“Was—”

“That was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced, Cresswell.”

Thomas hooked his fingers beneath my chin, angling my head up to his. He pressed his lips softly against my own. I blushed momentarily as I asked timidly, “could you do it again?”

He let out a breathy chuckle as a large grin spread across his features. 

Thomas obliged.


	14. A Melancholy Ballad

It was early in the morning when Audrey Rose Cresswell awoke to the elegant sound of her Father’s grand piano echoing down the hallway, into her sleeping chambers. Herself and Thomas had been married for only a few months, at last, taking the opportunity of their spare weekend to visit Edmund Wadsworth for the first time since they had wed. They had been sharing Audrey Rose’s childhood sleeping chambers, together on the bed—much smaller than the one they were used to in their estate. 

Audrey Rose lazily reached out for Thomas beneath the sheets, only to be met with a cold, empty space of the bed. Peeking an eye open, Audrey Rose saw that indeed her husband was no longer asleep beside her. She frowned slightly, wishing to be wrapped in his warm embrace or kissed into oblivion. Perhaps both. 

Standing from the bed, Audrey Rose soundlessly made her way out of her chambers, down the long, dark hallway, until she had made it to the large, primarily empty chamber of her old home—save for the sleek black grand piano present in the centre of the room. At first glance, she spotted Thomas sitting on the piano bench, his nimble fingers brushing across the keys. 

Audrey Rose crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned against the frame of the doorway, silently watching Thomas as he played. She stood there for many minutes, soaking in the rich, melancholy ballad he performed, the song filled so intensely with emotion and power that it nearly forced a tear down the length of her cheek. 

Eventually, the sound of the keys began to fade into a softer tone, however, the feeling the song possessed never left despite the decrease in volume. At last, it faded into silence, a silence so mute that Audrey Rose swore she couldn’t even hear herself breathe. 

“I know you are there, my love,” Thomas spoke, not bothering to turn and face her as he spoke. His gaze remained forward, staring at his hands that rested lightly upon the white keys of the piano though he made no sound. 

Audrey Rose took a hesitant step towards him. “I did not know that you could play. Although it seems I should have assumed so. I’m beginning to think there is nothing you  _ cannot  _ do.”

Thomas turned his head, meeting her gaze in order to flash her a swift upward tilt of his lip, nothing more. “I guess I am merely full of surprises.” He faced the piano once again, moving sideways along the bench before tapping the now empty seat beside him. Audrey Rose understood and crossed the distance between them, seating herself beside him and taking his hand in her own. Her other hand moved to his chin, gently turning his head to face her. She brushed her thumb across the tip of his chin, studying the deep look in his eyes.

After quite some time of silence, Thomas spoke, “My mother taught me to play when I was young. While Daciana was busy reading novels or terrorizing other children, my mother would sit me upon her lap and guide my fingers across the keys. Eventually, it became a way for me to escape—similar to how I spent my time painting as a young boy—to escape from the reality that was my father.” He paused, visibly holding back silver tears. Thomas sniffled before adding, “I hadn’t played since she passed so I deeply apologize for how atrocious I most certainly sounded. If I had known my wife was going to listen I would have practiced beforehand.” He managed a short, effortless chuckle. 

Audrey Rose slid her hand to cup his cheek, running her thumb across the smooth skin of his cheekbone. “It was amazing Thomas. Truly exquisite.” She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his in a soft kiss. “I never learned, however, Nathaniel used to play when we were children. He hated it, but my mother insisted it was a good skill to learn—that it would teach him to focus. After a few years of begrudged playing, Nathaniel grew to enjoy it and often performed pieces for both my mother and I—occasionally my father as well when he was not preoccupied with Lord business. Liza too when she would visit! I do not think this piano has been used since.”

Thomas looked down at the instrument before him, ghosting his fingers across the edge of the piano, appreciating the beauty and grace it possessed. He faced Audrey Rose once again, “Perhaps we should return to our sleeping chambers. I do not wish to awake your father at this early hour and quite frankly, I do not mind spending a few more hours in bed with you.”

Audrey Rose could feel the weight in his tone—the exhaustion. She knew that Thomas didn’t want to return to bed for the sake of making love for hours, but rather holding each other close while silently thanking whatever higher power that may exist for having one another. That despite all the pain and suffering the both of them had gone through, they managed to find their way to each other. For the rest of their lives and whatever may come after that, they would always have each other. 

“Then let us go.”


	15. Early Morning Escapades *NSFW*

Thomas awoke to the feeling of warm skin pressed against the front of his body, strands of dark, ebony hair plastered to his face. He flinched back though only slightly as he attempted to comprehend the situation of the present moment. Audrey Rose Wadsworth, his fiancée, was asleep in his arms, buried deep into his chest. 

It had to be a dream, it  _ had  _ to. It wasn’t necessarily uncommon for Thomas to have indecent dreams about his love, but this felt different than any of those previous dreams. It felt too real. 

Gently, Thomas raised his hand to brush Audrey Rose’s hair out of her face, a light caress of his fingertip across her skin. The moment his gaze met with her peaceful features Thomas knew that this was real, that there was no way that his mind could create an image so perfect and unbelievable. 

He allowed the realization to settle in, his heart racing. Audrey Rose—the brilliant, wonderful, magnificent woman he had fallen so madly in love with back in Jonathan’s lab a few months ago with her arms elbow deep in the chest cavity of a cadaver—was asleep in his arms, in his bed. Thomas was never a religious man but if there was a God out there, they were most certainly blessing him. 

Audrey Rose stirred in his embrace as her emerald eyes fluttered open, looking up to meet his gaze, a faint smile upon her soft lips. 

Thomas nearly swore from how perfect she looked, how perfect she  _ was.  _

“Happy birthday, my sweet boy,” Audrey Rose murmured as she snuggled impossibly closer to his body. 

Out of everything racing through his mind, the very least of Thomas’s concerns was the fact that he was officially 18 years of age. He lowered his head, pressing a kiss to Audrey Rose’s forehead before tightening his arms around her frame. “You remembered?” 

Audrey Rose pulled her head back enough to look up at him, a dumbfounded look across her features. “Of course, I remembered. You are 18 years old now, Cresswell. It is an important day.”

Thomas forced a breathy laugh, resting his chin on top of Audrey Rose’s head so her face pressed into his neck. She relaxed against him, melting into his body. Thomas mumbled in response, “I suppose it is. Birthdays merely seem so trivial to me since my own father failed to remember my birthday throughout my entire life, though my mother never failed to make a spectacle out of the occasion until...well you know what happened.”

Audrey Rose pulled back once more, placing her hand on Thomas’s cheek in order to keep his eyes on her own as she whispered, “I am sorry, Thomas.” 

He shook his head, a soft smile growing on his lips. “There is nothing to apologize for, my love. This right here,” he gestured to their current position, “makes up for everything my father every out me through. This— _ you _ —are all I will ever need or want. So thank you, Audrey Rose, for already making this the best birthday a man could ever wish for.”

At last, Audrey Rose lifted her chin, Thomas meeting her halfway to press his lips to her own, his hand sliding from her waist to her lower back, pulling her into his body. She arched against him, her peaked breasts and nipples brushing against his chest—a shocking but welcoming reminder that neither of them wore any clothing beneath the sheets of his bed. Audrey Rose moaned against his lips, the sound resulting in a physical indication of Thomas’s current desire. He felt his hardness press against her inner thigh, immediately causing him to pull away. 

“Wadsworth, I’m—”

Audrey Rose’s fingers wrapped around him, instantly silencing him. When she realized he made no move to protest, Audrey Rose began lightly stroking her fingers up and down the length of him. She spoke softly, “ _ This _ , my fiancé, is nothing to be ashamed of. As a matter of fact, I happen to love it nearly as much as I love you. Would you like to know why that is?”

Thomas swallowed, attempting to form coherent thoughts despite his lover’s very distracting fingers. “Indulge me, Wadsworth.”

A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, catching Thomas’s attention. Audrey Rose continued, “I love it because I know that I am the only one who can make this happen. That I am the only one you desire.” 

Thomas brought his hand to her face, brushing his knuckles along her jawline before delicately gripping her chin in his fingertips. “Indeed. I told you yesterday,  _ ‘Beyond life, beyond death. My love for thee is eternal’  _ and that, my lovely rose, applies to my physical attraction for you just as much as my emotional attraction. Only you shall ever receive my attention, Audrey Rose. No matter what.” 

Her fingers paused their movements on his bulge though they didn’t disappear from his skin. “I hope you know, Thomas, that I return that sentiment wholeheartedly. Despite what happened those few weeks ago, I  _ need  _ you to understand that beyond life, beyond death, my love for thee is eternal. That I will always— _ always _ —want, need, and love you, Cresswell,” Audrey Rose spoke, her voice breaking due to the raw emotion in her words. 

“Love, you know that I have already forgiven you for everything that happened.”    
  
Audrey Rose exhaled, “I know, Thomas, but that doesn’t mean the guilt of it all has disappeared. Just because you have forgiven me doesn’t mean I have yet to forgive myself. I put you through so much pain, Thomas. How am I  _ supposed  _ to forgive myself for that?”

Thomas opened his mouth to retaliate, but his lips immediately formed a straight line, knowing that what he was going to say would have no effect on her opinion. Instead, he softened his expression, allowing his fingers to trace patterns onto the warm skin of her back as he spoke, “My one and only request for my  _ very _ special 18th birthday is for you to understand that you are not to blame—that I myself do not blame you. So, my love, could you at the very least attempt to find it in your heart to forgive yourself?” 

Thomas paused, leaning down to press slow, lingering kisses to Audrey Rose’s neck as he murmured against her skin, “Could you do that for your madly in love, handsome, charming, magnificent, oh-so-loving fiancé?”

Audrey Rose squirmed beneath him as a sweet giggle escaped past her lips, forcing Thomas to look up from her neck to see her wide smile. “I suppose I could attempt to do that,” she answered, followed by a continuation of her giggles. 

A grin of his own formed on Thomas’s lips as he sighed, “Now  _ that  _ is the laugh that I love so incredibly much.” 

A fiendish smirk took the place of Audrey Rose’s innocent smile as she swiftly wrapped her fingers around Thomas’s still hard cock, pumping her hand twice. He let out on uncontrollable moan, biting his lower lip instantaneously after realizing the sound he had made. 

Audrey Rose returned to lightly tracing over the length of him, her fingers ghosting over his skin. Thomas was practically throbbing beneath her touch as she jested, “Now  _ that  _ is the sound that I love so incredibly much.”

“Audrey Rose Wadsworth, you might someday be the death of me.”

“Are you implying I haven’t already?” Audrey Rose teased, the look on her face exposing how much joy she currently possessed from having so much control over his heart and body. She pressed her body flush against Thomas’s, forcing him to lay against the bed on his back rather than his side. 

Thomas slipped his hands to her thighs as she straddled his waist, this position allowing him to see her entire naked figure. Her bare breasts and chest directly before him, her entrance hovering just below his cock, and her naked legs on either side of his body. Perhaps Audrey Rose was correct, that she had indeed already killed him since he was most certainly in heaven now. 

She leaned down, touching her lips to his jaw, her hands spread across his chest. Thomas’s eyes fluttered shut as he gripped Audrey Rose’s thighs, soaking in the feeling of her naked skin on his, her soft lips and tongue working across his jaw. He forced back a moan as Audrey Rose kissed, nipped and sucked down the length of his neck, down the muscular plain of his chest. Thomas opened his eyes, watching her as she continued down his abdomen, noticing the red marks she left upon his skin, until she was at last eye level with his cock, licking her lips at the sight of him. Audrey Rose met his gaze from between his thighs, taking a moment for him to object if he so wished. 

“Do not feel obligated to do this if you do not want to, Wadsworth. We have the rest of our lives to pleasure one another if you’d prefer to wait,” Thomas spoke despite the desperate need aching inside of him. Regardless of his own wants, Audrey Rose’s would always come first.

“The last thing I wish to do at the present moment, Cresswell, is to stop because  _ this _ ,” she paused, taking the opportunity to flick her tongue over the tip of him, “is what I have dreamed of doing for months.” 

Thomas opened his mouth to speak before Audrey Rose’s mouth on his cock caused him to choke on his words, a mix between a groan and a whimper managing past his lips. He slid his hands to her long hair, fisting his fingers into her curls. Thomas closed his eyes as Audrey Rose worked on him, her fingers tracing along the parts of him that she couldn’t fit in her mouth. 

The moment her teeth gently scraped against him, Thomas thought he was going to combust from pleasure, moaning far too loudly than he should. He removed a hand from Audrey Rose’s hair, instead, placing it over his mouth to muffle the groans and whines escaping his lips. The last thing he wished was for any of their family members to overhear their scandalous actions—most importantly, Audrey Rose’s aunt Amelia. 

“Audrey Rose,” Thomas moaned, removing his hand for a moment to say, “I’m close, love. I’m so close.”

Audrey Rose quickened her movements on him, providing him amounts of pleasure he didn’t imagine was possible. Yet again, was anything about Audrey Rose Wadsworth possible? 

He could feel it building inside of him, the gathering of adrenaline and pleasure starting at a steady pace, but now climbing at a swift rate, higher and higher until—

Thomas screamed Audrey Rose’s name against the palm of his hand as he came in her mouth, spilling himself inside of her. He gasped as the power of his climax slowed, his body collapsing into the plush bed beneath him.

At last, Thomas opened his eyes, watching as Audrey Rose climbed back up his body, sitting on his lower abdomen. Thomas could feel the wetness that laid between her thighs on his skin as she swallowed the remains of him. 

Raising a hand, Thomas brushing his thumb across her lower lip to collect the drop of white liquid she failed to keep in her mouth, Audrey Rose then slowly flicking her tongue over the tip of his thumb to collect it. 

Thomas reached out for Audrey Rose, but she was too quick climbing off of his body and standing on the floor of his chambers, gathering her nightgown from the previous night and dressing her bare figure. Thomas raised a brow as he pouted. “What about you? I cannot be the only one to be pleasured.” 

“It is nearly dawn which means our family members shall be waking soon so I must return to my chambers.” Audrey Rose finished dressing and made her way back over to Thomas’s bed. She placed a knee onto the mattress, leaning over to press her forehead against Thomas’s, placing a quick kiss to his lips. “Besides,  _ that _ is what I had planned for tonight.” 

Before Thomas could respond or even process what she has said, Audrey Rose had pulled away from him and soundlessly exited his chambers. He ran a hand through the loose curls atop his head as he let out a sigh. Thomas may not have been able to make sense of everything that had just occurred, nevertheless, he could definitely say that this was, by far, the greatest birthday he had ever had. 


	16. Surprise Destinations *Brief NSFW - Modern AU*

To say that I was nervous was an understatement.

The biggest understatement I may have possibly ever heard. 

“Are you alright, darling?” Audrey Rose asked sweetly, turning her head as far as she could to look up at me from where she laid in my arms, back pressed against my chest. Burying my face in her neck, I teased the neckline of her— _ my _ —t-shirt down, giving me further access to her skin. I pressed a gentle kiss to the curve of her shoulder followed by one to her cheek as my arms tightened around her figure, her body so close to mine that I didn’t know where hers began or mine ended. At last, I murmured, “Love, I’d like to take you somewhere.”

Audrey Rose attempted to turn in my arms but I held her firmly to my chest, resting my chin upon her shoulder to prevent her from moving. She melted back into my arms as she asked, “Anywhere in particular?”

I dug my face further into her neck, breathing in her familiar scent. “Yes,” I answered simply.

When Audrey Rose moved to turn once again, I didn’t stop her. She wore her deduction face, studying my features in an attempt to unveil my secrets. Her search appeared to be unsuccessful, prompting her to inquire, “Is that all you are going to tell me?”

“Yes,” I breathed out with a smirk upon my lips, only forcing an even further confused look upon Audrey Rose’s face. “It’s a surprise, my love.”

A childlike wonder graced her face, a hint of a smile on her lips as she looked up at me. My heart nearly burst from my chest as the sight. I cupped her cheek in my palm, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her mouth and when I pulled back, she was grinning. I sighed, a smile of my own shining down at her as I spoke, “The sooner we leave, the sooner you’ll receive your surprise.”

Immediately, Audrey Rose untangled herself from my limbs and hopped out of my bed, eagerly staring down at me. I stretched my body across the bed for a moment, noticing Audrey Rose’s welcome gaze on my bare figure as my muscles flexed. Standing from the bed, I flashed Audrey Rose a playful smirk to which she only blushed.

Grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt off of my floor, I quickly got dressed while Audrey Rose put on her black leggings from the day before, my t-shirt still remaining on her body. By the time I was completely clothed, Audrey Rose had crossed the distance between us, hooking her fingers into the belt loops of my jeans, using them to tug me close. She raised onto her tiptoes, pecking her lips swiftly against my own. “I love you,” she murmured softly.

I took hold of her waist, my fingers lingering at her lower back as I pulled her flush against me. Our lips connected once more, however, this time the kiss was longer and slower. “I love you,” I echoed in response. Dragging my fingers from her waist, I slid my hand up to my belt loop, grasping Audrey Rose’s hand in my own. I intertwined our fingers, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as I pulled away from her body. 

Once we had gotten in my car and begun driving to my secret destination, Audrey Rose looked over at me from the passenger seat, asking, “Can you give me a hint as to where we are going?”

After a moment of thought, I answered, “Well, it’s somewhere you’ve never been before, but I’m hoping you’ll love it.”

Audrey Rose hummed softly and teased in an overly sarcastic tone, “Are you going to propose?”

I grinned, letting out a short laugh as I glanced over at her. Turning my attention back to the road, I grabbed her hand in my own and pressed my lips to knuckles. “No, I will not be proposing quite yet, my love. Perhaps by the end of the year though.”

Taking a quick look at Audrey Rose, I saw her smile—so genuine and happy. Sometimes it was hard to believe that I was the one who caused such a smile. At last, she responded, “I’m holding you to that, Cresswell. By the end of the year, I no longer wish to be your girlfriend, but instead your fiancée.”

I flashed her a swift smirk before looking back at the road. “I do believe I can make that happen.”

“Good,” was all she replied.

For the remainder of the drive, we both stayed silent, not an awkward silence, but rather a calming, peaceful one.

At last, I pulled into the driveway of the beautiful townhouse I had so quickly fallen in love with nearly three months ago, the townhouse that I envisioned my near future in. I faced Audrey Rose, attempting to gauge her reaction. All I could read upon her features was confusion. I got out of the car, making my way over to the passenger side to open Audrey Rose’s door, offering her my hand to which she gladly accepted. I laced our fingers together as she shut the car door, her attention not once leaving the house before us. She remained still—as though she was locked in a trance—just staring at the home before us. I took a step, tugging on Audrey Rose’s hand for her to follow. 

I led her up the front steps and once we had reached the front door, took the house key out of my pocket. I handed it to Audrey Rose, gesturing for her to do the honours of unlocking the door. After a moment of hesitation, she obliged, slowly unlocking the lock and opening the front door. Without me needing to prompt her, she took a step inside, myself following suit, closing the door behind me. My gaze remained on Audrey Rose as she looked around at the completely furnished house. For months I had been hiding this from her despite the fact that every time I looked at her, I pictured this place, our future here. And now it was finally happening. 

“Thomas,” Audrey Rose began, her voice slightly shaky as though she was on the verge of tears. I knew she was smart enough to have figured out why I had brought her here—what I was about to ask her. I closed the distance between us, slowly taking her hands in my own as I stood before her. 

At last, her eyes met mine and we were the only two people left in the world. Only us. When she made no move to speak, I exhaled, long and slow. “Audrey Rose. We’ve been together since we were 16 years old, just two madly in love teenagers who wanted to spend every waking moment together and in one another’s arms. Now, just over 2 years later, we are two madly in love young adults who want to spend every waking moment together and in one another’s arms. From the very first moment I met you, I knew I would love for the rest of my life though at the time I never could have dreamed you would ever reciprocate those feelings. But here we are. We both know that the love we share is not temporary—that what we have isn’t just a high school romance. Our love, Audrey Rose, is the most true and incredible thing I have ever and will ever experience. It’s eternal.” I paused, allowing myself to collect the millions of thoughts racing through my mind. 

I continued, “Just after my 19th birthday back in January, I began searching for houses. Nothing extravagant or outrageous, but something small and cozy—a house designed for two. Because you were spending so many nights at my flat, I wanted to start looking for a more permanent option, a place we could properly call our own. I found this townhouse quite soon after I began searching and immediately fell in love with it. It was a house that truly felt like a home, however, it only felt like home if I was envisioning living here with  _ you _ . This townhouse has technically been mine for roughly two months now but I didn’t bring it up until now because I've been terrified. I’ve been terrified that me asking this of you would ruin the beautiful relationship we’ve built so far because every moment that you are in my life is a moment I will forever be grateful for and the thought of me ruining that because I desire more…” I sighed, holding back the tears that threatened to fall. “I can’t imagine my life without you, Audrey Rose Wadsworth, and I could never forgive myself if I ever did something to change that.”

Audrey Rose raised our joined hands to her face, wiping the back of her hand across her nose as she sniffled. I watched as a tear slipped down her cheek, immediately swiping my thumb across her skin to catch it before it could fall from her face. 

Lastly, I spoke, “The reason I brought you here today, my love, is to ask you if you would like to officially move in with me? Of course, you can decline my offer if you wish because I do understand that we are young, but I just wanted you to know where I stand in our relationship. That I will have you for the rest of my life if you will have me for the rest of yours.”

I stared at Audrey Rose, watching as her lips curled into a large smile, silver tears pooling in her emerald eyes. 

“Are those happy tears or sad tears? You’re beginning to worry me, darling.”

Audrey Rose shook her head as a sob escaped her lips. “Happy tears. Definitely, most certainly, happy tears.”

Pulling her into my arms, I rested my chin upon Audrey Rose’s head, her face pressed against the skin of my neck. I could feel her hands fisted in the back of my shirt —feel how she pulled me even closer. Burying my face into her hair, I asked, “So is that a yes?”

Audrey Rose pulled back, gazing up at me. She looked stunning—well in my eyes, she  _ always  _ looked stunning—as she nodded, so enthusiastically that it nearly astounded me. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes yes  _ yes _ . Of course, I want to move in with you.”

Instead of replying, I ducked my head, capturing her lips in my own and in a sudden rush of adrenaline, lifted Audrey Rose off of the ground, spinning her around in circles—her lips never once parting from mine. She squealed against my mouth followed by the wonderful sound of her giggles as her nails dug into my shoulders. At last, after we were both dizzy, I set her back on the floor, my forehead pressed against hers. Audrey Rose wrapped her arms around my neck as mine wrapped her waist, pulling her body flush against me. 

“Say it again,” I requested, my voice barely more than a whisper against her lips. For a large portion of my life,  _ this  _ seemed impossible. Having Audrey Rose, recovering from the abuse I had suffered as a child, moving past the loss of my mother, being  _ happy. _ For so long, I thought I could never be happy. Despite being the happiest man alive now, those lingering thoughts of melancholy from my adolescence occasionally found me in moments like these, in a form of disbelief—that my happiness was too good to be true. 

By the look in Audrey Rose’s eyes, I could tell she knew exactly why I had asked her in the first place, prompting her to repeat, “I want to move in with you.”

“Again,” I breathed out, nothing more than a quiet plea on my tongue as I shut my eyes. 

“I want to move in with you, Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Audrey Rose spoke, her so voice soft and sweet.

“One last time.”

“I love you,” she stated, the innocence in her tone almost childlike. I peeked my eye open, raising an accusatory brow at Audrey Rose. She let out a loose laugh, adding, “Of course, I want to move in with you.”

Finding myself satisfied, I stuffed my face into Audrey Rose’s neck, holding her as close as I possibly could. “I love you,” I mumbled into her skin though the words came out hardly audible, muffled due to how firmly I was pressed against her. 

Audrey Rose placed her hands on my chest, pushing me back from her body. The lack of warmth caused me to pout as I met her gaze. She cupped my cheeks in her palms, raising onto her tiptoes in order to press her lips to mine in a short kiss, immediately replacing my frown with a lazy smile. “When would you like me to move in?” Audrey Rose asked as a light flush spread across her cheeks, her head tilting slightly to the side.

I ran my fingertips down the sides of her body, slipping beneath my shirt that she wore, meeting with the pleasant heat of her skin. My fingers curled around to her back, tugging her slightly closer—just enough to make her head tip back in order to look at me. I shrugged my shoulders as I moved my hands along her back, my fingertips dancing across her skin. “Whenever you’d like. It doesn’t matter to me as long as you are happy.”

The corners of Audrey Rose’s lip curled upwards as she arched her back, her breasts flush against my chest as she tossed her head back, forcing me to look down to meet her gaze. I couldn’t contain my growing as Audrey Rose spoke, “Can we do it tonight?”

“Yeah, we can start moving your belongings tonight if you’d like.”

“No, I want to move  _ everything  _ tonight.”

I allowed myself a hint of a smirk, raising a brow. “Someone’s a little eager.”

“It’s an opportunity to see you naked every day of my life,  _ obviously  _ I’m excited,” Audrey Rose teased, a devilish look upon her features. 

“Oh really?”

“Mmhmm,” she murmured with a nod. “Among other things too, of course.”

“Such as?” I prompted, causing Audrey Rose to cock her head to the side as she listed, “Hugs, kisses, cuddles, sex, well-cooked food, your undying love and affection… Need I say more?”

I leaned down, planting a slow, open-mouthed kiss to her neck. She arched under my lips, allowing me more access to skin. “Well, I certainly wouldn’t object if you continued.” 

I looked up in time to see Audrey Rose roll her eyes before pecking a sweet kiss to my cheek, following it with a similar kiss to my lips. I sighed against her mouth before softly asking, “Would you like me to show you around our home?”

Immediately, a smile grew upon her lips as she nodded. 

The unofficial tour of the townhouse took many hours, the both of us getting distracted in every room by talking about our future together and how we would spend said future in this house. In the living room, we talked about napping together on the couch, in the bathroom, we talked about taking baths and showers together, in the kitchen, we talked about attempting to make food together only for it to turn out horrendous, and many more domestic conversations occurring in every single room. At last, we stood in the bedroom— _ our  _ bedroom, the final room of the townhouse. 

I watched Audrey Rose from where she stood attached to my side, my arm slung around her waist as her eyes travelled around the room, pausing on the large bed pressed against the wall. We stood there for many minutes in silence, the thought of all of  _ this _ —us sharing a home, a bedroom, a life together—still so surreal and startling in the best way possible that both of us needed a moment to take it in, to truly appreciate it. 

Audrey Rose spoke suddenly before looking up to meet my gaze, “We’re gonna have so much sex in here and I can’t wait.” 

I slid my hand from her lower back to the side of her body, using my free hand to grab her other side to pull her in front of me, my hands resting on either of her hips. I slipped my hands beneath her shirt, sliding my fingers around her torso to her back, brushing my fingers up and down her spine. Audrey Rose arched against me, her breasts pressing against my chest as her head tipped back, looking up at me. Her hands spread across my chest, sliding up past my shoulders to wrap around my neck, drawing me in. I ducked my head down to hers, ghosting my lips just above hers as I murmured, “Who said we had to wait?”

Instantly, she captured my lips in her own, feeling her giggle softly against my mouth as I gripped the undersides of her thighs, hoisting her into my arms. I carried her over to the bed, laying her out on the sheets before climbing on top of her, her legs falling apart to make room for my body between them. Audrey Rose’s legs wrapped around my waist, her thighs digging pleasantly into my hips as our lips connected once more. Her tongue swiped across my lower lip before entering my mouth, brushing against my own. I groaned against her lips as I ground my tight bulge against her centre, extracting a moan from Audrey Rose’s throat. 

“Thomas,” she whined as I pried my mouth from hers, instead, trailing open-mouthed kisses down the column of her throat. I sucked and nipped at the side of her neck, prompting Audrey Rose to dig her nails into my shoulders as she tilted her head, allowing my tongue and teeth and lips more room to explore on her skin. Her hands tugged at the hem of my shirt, murmuring against my lips, “Take this off.”

I obliged, pulling back from her body long enough to pull my shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor. Sitting back on my knees, I grabbed Audrey Rose’s sides, pulling her up into a sitting position so I could quickly take off her shirt, throwing it in the same direction as my own. Her lips found my own once again as I slipped my hands around to her back, meeting with the clasp of her bra, unhooking it and sliding the straps down her arms before tossing it aside. 

Audrey Rose’s fingertips traced down the front of my chest, down to the button on my jeans. With quick work, she popped the button open and unzipped my fly, immediately hooking her fingers into the waistband of both my trousers and my underwear, tugging urgently. I pushed away from her body, swiftly discarding the last of my clothing before repeating the gesture with Audrey Rose, slipping my fingers into the waistband of her lacy underwear and leggings and pulling them down the length of her legs. At last, we both completely bare before one another.

Lowering herself back down against the pillows, Audrey Rose wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down with her. I settled between her thighs, the shaft of my cock pressed against her centre, the only form of relief I was providing her. I kissed her softly, lovingly. “How do you want me?” I asked as I traced my fingertip up and down the length of her side, starting from the side of her breast all the way down to her lower thigh before repeating the gesture in reverse. 

Audrey Rose slipped her hand between us, wrapping her fingers around my cock and lining me up at her entrance. I could feel the moisture between her thighs on the tip of my cock as she rolled her hips onto me, allowing the tip of my cock to enter her only for a brief moment before pulling back completely. “This is good,” she answered breathlessly, gasping for air. 

My lips met with her jaw as I buried myself within her with one thrust of my hips, murmuring against her skin, “I couldn’t agree more.” 

I gave her a moment to adjust to the size of me inside of her, waiting until she gave me a small nod of her head to continue. Her lips found my chest as I began slowly pulling out of her only to swiftly push back in, causing her to moan against my skin. I brought my mouth to her breast, sucking and tugging on a peaked nipple, Audrey Rose tossing her head back as she let out a whimper. I felt her hand bury in my hair, fingernails gently scraping against my scalp as she took hold my brunette curls in her fist. I pried my mouth off of her breast, flicking my tongue over her nipple before moving to her other breast, sucking on her skin with the intention of leaving a mark. I continued moving inside of her at a slow, steady pace, a pace that made Audrey Rose writh with pleasure underneath me and beg for more. Feeling satisfied with my work on her chest, seeing a round hickey on the soft skin of her breast, I moved my lips back to hers, silencing her moans and whines with my mouth. 

The moment I noticed her hand begin to drift to the space between us, I moved before she got the chance, pressing my thumb against her knot and rubbing in smooth circles, forcing a moan from her throat. The noice sparked something deep within me, causing my thrusts to increase in speed as I kissed Audrey Rose, our mouths in the midst of an elegant dance of lips and teeth and tongue. 

_ “Please,”  _ Audrey Rose whimpered against my lips, followed by an uncontrolable moan.

I obliged, moving both my cock and my thumb even faster, the bed beneath us shaking with desperate force. Audrey Rose brought her mouth to my neck, biting firmly as she screamed out my name. I could feel her climax around me, the feeling of her walls clenching around my cock and her teeth and tongue on neck working together to force a monterous wave of pleasure over my body, moaning out,  _ “Audrey Rose,”  _ as I did so. 

Collapsing on top of her once my climax had come to an end, I burried my face into her neck, nuzzling her warm skin. The only sounds left in the room were our loud gasps for air and the rapid beating of our hearts. 

After minutes of silence, I pushed up on my elbows, gently pulling out of Audrey Rose and rolling onto my back, pulling her on top of me. Her gaze faltered from my own, moving down at my neck. Her emerald eyes went wide as her lips parted from what I could only deduce as shock. I quirked a brow in question as Audrey Rose raised her hand, brushing her fingertips over the side of my neck. 

“I’m so sorry, Cresswell. I must’ve gotten carried away.”

Still confused as to what she was refering to since I felt no pain, I reached for my phone on the bedside table as Audrey Rose sat up on my abdomen, straddling my body. I turned on my front facing camera, using it as a mirror to look at the spot Audrey Rose seemed so concerned about. I tilted my head to the side, spotting a relatively large bite mark deep within my skin, surrounded by brightly flushed skin. I brushed my fingertips over the mark just as Audrey Rose had moments prior and smiled at my refection, then smiling at Audrey Rose herself. She looked as confused as I had felt only thirty seconds ago. 

“You’re not mad?”

I shut my phone off, placing it back on the nightstand before sliding my hands up Audrey Rose’s thighs to rest on her waist. “Of course, I’m not mad,  printesa mea . I absolutely love it.”

“You do?”   
  


I nodded, a grin plastered on my face. “It’s a gift from you that only I get to recieve. Of course, I adore it.”

Audrey Rose’s lips fell into a frown as she spoke, “It might be deep enough to scar.”

My smile didn’t falter, not in the slightest. “Well, in that case, I shall have a permanent reminder of this day for the rest of my life—something I am most certainly  _ not  _ complaining about.” 

Audrey Rose flushed a bright shade of pink, squeeling in delight as I promptly wrapped my arms around her figure and pulled her down against my body. She giggled against my chest and for a moment that was the only sound I ever wanted to hear again. 

“I love you, “ I heard her murmur softly against my chest though the sound came out muffled due to how tightly I held her.

I kissed the top of her head, mumbling in return, “I love you too.”

After a long moment of silence in one another’s arms, Audrey Rose peeked her head up at me, an innocent smile on her lips, tracing the line of my collarbone as she asked, “Want to go for round two?”

I rolled us over so Audrey Rose was pinned beneath me, a small giggle escaping her lips as I brushed my lips against her throat, the touch so faint it was more of a tickle than a proper kiss. At last, I whispered, “I could go for round two…”


	17. CTD Chapter Sampler Continuation *NSFW*

_ Misjudging my response, he froze. “I ought to go _ — _ ” _

_ I stared at his mouth, trying to corral my emotions. He  _ should  _ go to his chambers. And I should let him. Our virtues could go to hell in just a few hours,  _ after  _ we were wed.  _

_ But instead of agreeing, I reached for the waistband of his trousers, pulling him against me. I didn’t want to wait any longer. I needed him. Suddenly shy at what I was asking, I averted my gaze.  _

_ “Stay here with me tonight. Please.” _

_ He tilted my chin up, staring deeply into my eyes, and I knew with utter certainty that he’d give me everything I wanted and more. “Forever, Audrey Rose.” _

I raised my hands to his cheeks, cupping them gently in my palms as I brought his face back to mine, capturing his lips in my own. The moment his tongue brushed against mine, I let out a soft moan against his lips, hyper-aware of his hands slowly caressing up the length of my thighs. I pried my mouth off of his long enough to echo in a breathy murmur, “Forever.”

Within the following moment, Thomas’s hands slipped beneath my thighs, hosting me into his arms as he stood—chests flush against one another, my legs secured tightly around his waist as my arms looped around his neck. He didn’t hesitate to kiss me once again.

Thomas carried me over to the large bed against the wall, laying me out on the sheets before him. He pulled back, watching me from where he stood at the foot of the bed. I reached my arms out for him, my body suddenly cold from the lack of his warmth, wiggling my fingers with need and want. Thomas grinned before kneeling on the bed before him, crawling towards me. 

As soon as he was in reach, I pulled him down against my body, parting my legs to accommodate for his place between my thighs. Raising my chin in an attempt to kiss him, Thomas seemed to have an alternate plan, dodging my lips entirely and instead placed slow, open-mouthed kisses along my jaw and neck. I slipped my fingers into his hair, my fingernails gently scraping against his scalp as his lips leisurely worked on the column of my throat. Suddenly, he pulled back, meeting my gaze. “How far do you wish to go, my love?”

“What I want and what is proper are two vastly different things, Cresswell. It is not a matter of how far I  _ wish  _ to go, it is a matter of how far we  _ should  _ go,” I answered though, by every passing second, my deep desire and need for Thomas only grew, making the idea of stopping far too unpleasant and challenging.

He brushed his nose against mine, smiling softly. “When have you ever respected society’s norms for what is or what is not considered proper? I do believe our dishonourable tryst in the bath on the eve of my eighteenth birthday has already crossed many of those boundaries, love.” Thomas paused, taking the opportunity to trace his finger from my temple down the side of my face, proceeding the imaginary line across my jaw to my chin, angling my face up to his so our lips were merely a hair’s width apart. Thomas continued, “So, _ în curând să fiu soție _ , how far do you wish to go?”

As much as I wanted to go all the way with him here and now, I knew I would regret it by the time our wedding night would arrive tomorrow night. I wanted our wedding night to be special. And I knew any moment with Thomas would always be special to me, but I wanted something vital to transpire to mark the occasion.

“Not completely,” I returned softly. “I wish to save  _ that  _ for our wedding night. Nevertheless, there are many other ways we can occupy our time  _ without  _ going all the way—ways that are just as enjoyable…” 

Thomas’s hands returned to my thighs, trailing them higher and higher until the skirt of my nightgown was hitched around my waist, his hands resting on my bare hips. Quietly, he muttered against my lips, “May I?”

For a brief moment, I hesitated, not because I didn’t want to continue with Thomas, but rather due to the thought of him gazing upon my completely naked body. I was never typically self-conscious with my appearance, however, in a society where many standards were placed upon women for how they should look, specifically for their husbands, there was always a lingering sense of embarrassment. I recalled mine and Thomas’s scandalous moment in my bathing chamber a mere two weeks ago, how he had seen my entire bare figure then and had only showered me with compliments and domestic endearments. At last, I nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I whispered, “Please.”

Thomas obliged, slipping his hands up the length of my sides—taking my nightgown with it. He pulled the sheer fabric over my head before tossing it to the floor of my chambers, returning his attention to me. His gaze was questioning—tentative. I knew him well enough to know why, prompting me to nod. With his remaining hesitation, Thomas’s chin dipped as he took in the sight of my bare breasts and stomach, the apex of my thighs. 

“Stunning,” he breathed out, his voice barely audible. “Absolutely stunning.”

I splayed my hands across Thomas’s chest as a flush spread across my cheeks, guiding my hands up to the top button of his collared shirt. My eyes faltered up to his, a silent inquiry in my gaze. Thomas nodded slowly. I popped the first button open, followed by the second, third and forth. I paused, teasing the collar of his shirt down in order to place a kiss to the small portion of his chest I could access. Thomas made a low sound deep in his throat, prompting me to continue with the buttons of his shirt. I slipped my hands beneath his shirt to his naked chest, urging them up to his shoulders—taking his shirt with me. I continued down the length of his arms until his shirt had completely fallen off of his body to which it was then tossed in the same direction as my nightgown. 

I drew Thomas flush against me, naked chests pressed together as his lips found mine. The kiss was slow yet powerful, each brush of his tongue against my own sending waves of fiery heat throughout my veins. I could feel the swift rhythm of Thomas’s heartbeat against my chest, making me smile against his mouth. My fingers drifted to the waistband of his trousers, pulling back from his lips only to murmur, “I believe that it is only fair that if  _ I  _ am naked,  _ you  _ are too.”

Thomas lowered his head, placing a soft kiss to the centre of my throat. “Who am I to disagree with such feasible logic?”

I giggled softly as Thomas sat back on his heels, pulling my body up with him. Before I allowed my fingers to continue, I raised my hands to his face, cupping his cheeks in my palms and drawing his face to mine, placing a delicate kiss to his lips. “I love you, Thomas Cresswell.”

He tucked my hair behind my ear, his eyes shining with love and desire as he whispered, “I love you, Audrey Rose Wadsworth.”

I stole another swift kiss from his lips before lowering my gaze to his trousers. My fingertips carefully traced the contours of his neck, chest, and abdomen before reaching its destination at the button of his waistband. My fingers paused as I looked back up at Thomas, murmuring almost silently, “I’m nervous.”

He placed his finger beneath my chin, tilting my face up to his. “There’s no need to be nervous, my love. It’s just me—just  _ us _ . We will only go as far as we want to go. There is no pressure for any more or any less. We can stop at any moment you’d like.”

I turned my attention back to Thomas’s trousers, taking my time to unbutton it. I slipped my fingers into the waistband of both his drawers and trousers, tugging gently on the fabric. Thomas extracted himself from my grasp, tucking his thumbs into the waistband at his hips and in one movement, pulled both items down the length of his legs. He kicked them off of his ankles, pushing them off of the bed onto the floor. 

I took a moment to admire the sight. Nothing was left to my own imagination because he offered everything before me. My gaze lingered between his thighs, a new body part of his that I had yet to explore. I smirked at all the indecent thoughts racing through my mind, how traumatized Aunt Amelia would be if she knew my mind was capable of such thoughts. Tentatively, I reached a hand out towards him, pausing before I could touch him. “May I?”

Thomas’s chest rose and fell at a rapid pace, his eyes bright with adoration and lust. Despite the obvious signs of his physical desire, he answered, “Only if you wish to. Do not feel obligated to pleasure me, my dove.”

“I want to,” I spoke before brushing my thumb over the tip of him. Thomas sharply gasped beneath my touch, causing me to smirk in satisfaction. Right now, with my hand where it currently was on his cock, I possessed all the control. I traced a delicate line down the length of him, feeling him harden even further. 

_ “Audrey Rose,” _ Thomas spoke, though his voice was breathy and hardly more than a whisper. I continued brushing my fingers against him, exploring every detail of him. Thomas’s fingers carefully wrapped my wrist, halting my movements as he pressed, “Let me pleasure you first, my love.  _ Please. _ ”

I studied his golden brown eyes for a moment before managing a nod, pulling my hand away from him. Thomas gently lowered me against the bed and removed himself from his space between my thighs, laying down on his side next to me. I shifted my head towards him, raising a brow in confusion. Instead of elaborating, Thomas only offered me his signature charming smirk. His hand rested on my abdomen, fingertips tenderly stroking my skin as he traced his hand down the centre of my torso, pausing just before he reached the space between my thighs. He gauged my reaction, attempting to deduce whether I wanted him to continue or not. Instead of waiting for him to come to a conclusion, I placed my hand on top of his, guiding his fingers even lower. 

Without further prompting, Thomas pushed a finger through my folds, curving it inside of me. He gave me a moment to adjust to the feeling of him, myself taking the opportunity to move even closer to his body. Finally, once I had gotten into a comfortable position, I looked up at Thomas, encouraging him to continue. He obliged, slowly moving his fingers within me.

I couldn’t contain my low moan as Thomas slowly pull his finger back before thrusting it deep inside of me. His gaze remained on my face the entire time, never faltering. “You’re beautiful, Audrey Rose. Truly exquisite.”

Feeling my cheeks heat, not just from the pleasure Thomas provided me, I shifted closer to him, resting my head against the space between his chest and shoulder. 

Thomas’s finger moved tauntingly slow within me, forcing me to whine, “ _ Please _ , Cresswell.”

His pace increased—though only slightly—as he presses a kiss to my temple, then one beneath that, and another, until he had trailed kisses to my mouth, capturing my lips in a desperate kiss. Thomas groaned into our kiss as I ground myself against his hand, needing more pressure. 

“I do enjoy this side of you, Wadsworth, my dear. Coming undone in my arms simply because of my finger.”

I moaned as Thomas slipped a second finger within me, quickening his pace the smallest amount more. 

“Or shall I say,  _ fingers? _ ” he teased, a smirk present on his lips. I only let out a soft whimper in response. 

Thomas used his other hand to brush my hair away from my face, gently stroking my scalp. “Tell me what you want, angel? I promise that’s all I ever wish to do—to please you.” 

Throughout my soft gasps for air, I managed to murmur, “More.  _ More more more. _ ” 

I felt his warm breath on the side of my face as he left out a loose chuckle. Moaning far too loudly considering the fact that our family members were on the other sides of these walls, Thomas quickened his pace drastically, forcing me to grip onto his arm and dig my nails into his skin.  _ “Thomas.” _

His thumb moved to my knot, applying the pressure I so desperately craved. 

“I—” a moan, “Cresswell, I’m close.”

The moment the words left my mouth, he began rubbing his thumb in hard circles. I lunged upwards, capturing Thomas’s mouth in my own to muffle the sound of my screams as my climax crashed through my body. Thomas’s fingers gradually slowed as the power of my climax subsided, leaving me in a lingering state of pleasure and exhausted. I gasped against his lips, attempting to catch my breath. 

In the meantime, I watched as Thomas raised his hand from the space between my thighs, lifting his fingers to his mouth before slowly licking them clean. I nearly moaned at the sight. 

While Thomas’s attention was briefly elsewhere, I pushed him flat against the bed, pinning his hands against the pillows above his head as I straddled his waist. His brows were raised in surprise, causing me to smirk. 

“Audrey Rose, darling, what are— _ ” _

My lips on his neck silenced him, replacing his confusion with a deep moan. I continued down the length of his neck, down the centre of his chest and abdomen until I kneeled between his thighs, eye level with his cock—hard with want for me. 

I sat up, meeting Thomas’s gaze. “I— I don’t really know what I’m doing,” I stated sheepishly, my face surely turning bright red from embarrassment. Thomas sat up, loosely grabbing my hand in his own and wrapped my fingers around him. He was larger than I had anticipated—my only preconceptions based off of the cadavers I had performed autopsies on, however, he was large compared to the size of my hand. 

Thomas’s hand remained on top of my own, guiding me as he began to slowly pump my hand on him. I heard him whimper above me, though I was too focused on his cock in my hand to bother looking up at his face. Once I had taken the lead with our movements, Thomas removed his hand entirely, laying back on the bed. 

“Try to remain as quiet as possible, Cresswell. I don’t want you waking our entire family with your moans.” 

He let out a laugh though it was instantly cut off by a whine as I brushed my thumb over the tip of him, quickening the pace of my pumps. I smirked at him, watching him as he writhed in pleasure, gripping the bed sheets beneath him in his fists. Eventually, I found the courage to kiss down the plain of his stomach, down to his cock which my hand still worked on. Once my lips had made it to the base of his shaft, I traded my hand for my mouth, taking as much of him as I could. My fingers stroked the base of his cock as my lips and tongue focused on the upper half of him. 

“ _ Saints _ , Wadsworth, I—” 

His words were cut off by another moan, his fingers diving into my hair. 

“Audrey Rose, I’m—” 

Thomas yelled my name as he came in my mouth, instantly biting his lower lip to prevent any more screams from escaping. The last thing either of us wanted was for Aunt Amelia, my father or Uncle Jonathan to learn what scandalous activities we were up to in my chambers. 

Breathing heavily above me, Thomas gently massaged my scalp. I pulled back, swallowing his remains before climbing up the bed into his open arms, collapsing against his chest with a sigh. Thomas eased us beneath the covers, wrapping his arms around my figure and tugging me into his chest. 

It was exactly as I had told him earlier this evening, how I wished to fall asleep and wake up in his arms—against his chest. How I wanted to fall asleep listening to the sound of his breath, his gentle snores. My fantasies about my life with Thomas Cresswell we’re finally beginning to come true. 

“It’s officially our wedding day, Audrey Rose,” Thomas stated, prompting me to turn in his arms, facing the clock. It was nearly 1:30 in the morning. He pulled me back against him, his chin resting on my shoulder, his body cocooning mine. I melted back into his warm body, at last replying, “Indeed it is.”

With one smooth movement of his arm, Thomas flipped my body around, my face pressed against the hot skin of his neck. I breathed in his strong, familiar scent, coffee and cologne, as he spoke, “In only a few short hours we will officially be husband and wife.” He paused, dipping his head down to place a kiss to my bare shoulder, then one to the side of my neck before whispering in my ear, “Having any second thoughts?”

I arched my back, pulling away from him enough to meet his gaze in the dark room. I raised my hands to his cheeks, holding him close. “I do believe I’m quite certain.”

Thomas drew me back to him, pressing his lips firmly against mine. I found myself getting lost in the taste of him, the way his naked body felt pressed against mine, the way my heart felt like it was overflowing with love just at the mention of his name. 

Yes, I was most certain, indeed. 


	18. Happy

The sound of a melodramatic, audible sigh awoke me from my slumber, the sound proceeded by a murmured voice saying, “Find a way to distract your mother and uncles while I attempt to get my little brother back to his chambers without being seen.” In response, a second voice scoffed, mumbling sarcastically, “Good luck.”

Despite knowing exactly what was about to occur, I wrapped my arms tighter around Audrey Rose’s sleeping figure, burying my face into the warm skin of her neck. 

“Good morning bride and groom to be,” Daciana chirped from the opposite side of the room, and even though I had my eyes closed, I knew she wore our signature Cresswell smirk. I groaned, holding Audrey Rose impossibly closer to my chest. Either my emphasized whine of protest or my movements against her body caused Audrey Rose to shift beneath me, slowly waking from her tranquil slumber. 

Stretching her body across the bed, Audrey Rose let out a soft moan before peeking an emerald eye open, her gaze locked on my face. She smiled softly at me, her expression lazy, peaceful. “Good morning, my darling,” Audrey Rose mumbled beneath her breath, her voice slightly raspy. 

Raising her chin in an attempt to capture my lips in her own, I pulled my face away from hers, gaining a frown of disappointment in return. The sight nearly broke my heart, knowing that Audrey Rose thought it was because I didn’t  _ want  _ to kiss her—which couldn’t have been further from the truth, prompting me to elaborate as I brushed her hair back from her temple, “We have a visitor, love.” 

I glanced towards Daciana, Audrey Rose’s eyes following my gaze. Instantly, she pulled the bed covers up to her chin in an attempt for some form of modesty, cheeks turning a bright shade of pink as she murmured softly, “Hello, Daci.” 

Daciana offered her a kind smile in return before raising her brows as she spoke, “I hate to break up this lovely, romantic moment, however, I have come to retrieve my scoundrel of a brother.”

Instead of pulling away from Audrey Rose, I nuzzled the side of her neck with my nose, gently brushing her skin as I held her closer. Loud enough for Daci to hear, I murmured, “Let me embrace this remarkable occasion for a brief moment before you send me back to my chambers, dear sister of mine.” 

“You will be able to embrace it for the rest of your  _ life  _ in just a short few hours once you become husband and wife. Then you may execute as many scandalous activities you wish without any consequences from society,” Daciana retorted. I could sense the growing annoyance in her tone, something I had missed dearly while she was busy travelling on her world tour. I may have loved Daci with my entire heart, but I also loved being a nuisance—possibly just as much so. I smirked against the skin of Audrey Rose’s neck, breathing in her familiar scent. Once Daciana realized I made no move to speak, she added, “Thomas, if you do not leave now, Lord Wadsworth will find you in your current state and most certainly revoke his permission to your sacrament.” 

I tugged Audrey Rose impossibly closer, hearing her make the faintest giggle as I did so. My lips were pressed against her skin, making my words come out hardly audible as I argued, “Audrey Rose was more than willing to elope on the Etruria long before we got her father’s approval—or even her ring for that matter. I doubt his sudden change of heart would alter Audrey Rose’s profounding love and adoration for me.”

Audrey Rose’s smooth palms met with either of my cheeks, lifting my face to meet her gaze. I offered her a charming, soft smirk, receiving a likewise smile in acknowledgment. “As much as this pains me to say, Thomas, Daciana is right.” 

“At least one of you has common sense.”

Turning my head, I flashed my elder sister a glare before Audrey Rose seized my attention back to her, her fingertips delicate against my jawline. Audrey Rose resumed, “In a mere few hours, we will be free to act as indecent as we’d like, whenever we’d like. You may kiss me and hold me and sleep in my bed whenever you wish. However, for that to occur, you must leave my chambers so I may begin preparing for our  _ wedding _ .”

As much as the thought of leaving this bed disheartened me, I couldn’t prevent the upwards tug of my lips at the mention of “our wedding.” It was surreal—remembering that Audrey Rose was to be my wife—that she has  _ wanted  _ to be with me. I doubted there would ever be a day where I felt deserving of her affection because, in my eyes, Audrey Rose was a goddess and I merely a worshiper—the peasant to her queen. I treated her as such because she deserved it. I may not have been worthy of her heart, but while she offered it to me, I did my best to give her my all, something I prayed would always be enough. 

Audrey Rose smiled before pressing her lips against mine, her hands remaining on my cheeks. I vaguely heard Daciana fake a gag, however, I was too occupied with the feeling of Audrey Rose’s tongue brushing against mine to particularly care. 

“Please refrain from such acts until you are  _ alone _ ,” Daci whined.

Pulling apart, Audrey Rose tucked herself against my chest, my arms wrapping around her tightly. I managed a roll of my eyes before pecking Audrey Rose’s lips sweetly, quickly. Both of our attentions landed on Daci, neither of us speaking. 

Daciana raised a questioning brow, asking, “Why exactly are neither of you getting out of bed?”

I glanced down at Audrey Rose, watching as her face burned a vibrant shade of red. She pulled the covers higher up her body, masking her embarrassment as I, at last, answered, “Because neither of us are wearing clothing beneath these sheets, Daciana.”

She let out a sigh, shaking her head lightly as she remarked, “I shouldn’t have asked,” before turning on her heel and exiting Audrey Rose’s sleeping chambers, closing the door behind her.

I turned my attention to Audrey Rose, tugging her waist against my lower abdomen, her bare skin flush against my own. She arched her back beneath my touch from where my fingers lingered at the small of her back, caressing up and down the length of her spine. Moving to catch her lips in mine, Audrey Rose pulled her head away, dodging my kiss. I managed a dramatic pout, causing her to giggle. 

Audrey Rose exhaled, declaring, “As much as I would  _ love  _ to kiss you senselessly all morning, through to the late evening—exploring every centimetre of your body, you  _ do  _ need to retire to your own chambers. And I do not believe either of us musters the restraint to not get too carried away in our indecent trysts this early in the morning, especially within our current state.” She paused, brushing my hair back from my face. “Believe me, Cresswell, if it were my choice, we’d be in this very room all day long, in one another’s arms—sleeping, kissing, perhaps more than just on the lips?”

“Love, if you are attempting to persuade me into leaving your chambers, you are doing an awful job.”

Shaking her head as she let out a laugh, Audrey Rose smiled brightly, forcing a smile onto my own lips at the sight. “I know.” She let out a sigh before stating, “I just don’t want you to go quite yet.”

With a slight frown, I spoke, “But I must.”

Audrey Rose managed a slight nod. “You must.”

I lowered my head, pressing a soft kiss to Audrey Rose’s lips before pulling out of her embrace, climbing out of her bed. The sight of my own naked body startled me slightly upon first glance, momentarily returning me to last night, the new ways we had explored each others bodies, the new ways we expressed our love. I turned, catching Audrey Rose’s gaze on my backside, causing her face to heat as she tucked the covers of the bed beneath her chin.  _ Saints, she was adorable _ .

Before I managed to get too distracted, I gathered my clothing from around her chambers, allowing myself occasional glances towards Audrey Rose. She sat propped against the pillows, holding the covers against her bare chest. I wanted to tell her that she didn’t need to cover herself, that her body was nothing to be ashamed of, but I refrained from doing so, ultimately deciding that she could reveal herself whenever she felt comfortable doing so.

I stepped into my drawers, pulling the thin fabric up the length of my legs to my waist before tying them in place. Next, I reached for my trousers, repeating the previous steps when Audrey Rose spoke, “It feels unreal. Within the next few hours, we will be husband and wife. I will be  _ your wife. _ "

Meeting Audrey Rose’s eyes, I responded, “Indeed, my sweet. And I’ll be  _ your husband _ . How I managed to convince you to want to spend the rest of your life with me, I shall never know, though I am eternally grateful.”

Audrey Rose smiled softly, murmuring in response, “As am I. But, Thomas, please do not believe that you needed to convince me into wanting to be your wife. From the very moment I laid my eyes upon you, I had already fallen madly in love.”

I felt my cheeks heat and in an attempt to hide from my embarrassment, I turned away from her, reaching for my buttoned shirt on the floor. By the time I had faced Audrey Rose one again, I had managed to tame the flush on my cheeks, though only slightly as I spoke, “I know, darling. And the moment I saw you with your arms elbow deep in the empty chest cavity of a cadaver, I was ready to propose.”

Pushing my arms into the sleeves of my shirt, I adjusted the shoulders so the fabric sat more adequately on my figure. Audrey Rose smirked, “You should have. I would have loved to see my Uncle’s reaction if you had gotten down on one knee during a postmortem.”

I made my way to Audrey Rose’s side of the bed and rested my knee on the edge of the mattress, leaning overtop of her. “Alas, we cannot go back in time, otherwise, I would have done so to correct my errors in my proposal, however, we  _ can  _ look forward to the future. Perhaps the very very near future...for example, within the next few hours?”

Audrey Rose smirked, raising her chin slightly so my lips ghosted over hers. “Mmm,” she hummed softly. “Is there anything specific I should be anticipating?”

I brushed my mouth over hers, a gentle caress of our lips. Pulling back from her body, already halfway across her chambers, I flashed her a devilish smirk as I taunted, “I guess you shall have to wait and see, my love.” 

Quickly grabbing my waistcoat and jacket, I exited her chambers, reuniting with Daciana once I had shut the door behind me. I buttoned the waistband of my trousers and immediately began on the buttons of my shirt when my sister brushed her finger against the side of my neck, down to my collarbone, exclaiming, “Thomas, are those—”

I batted her hand away and swiftly finished buttoning my shirt, adjusting my collar once I had finished. Rolling my eyes as my cheeks heated, I replied, “Oh, do not look so surprised, less-attractive-Cresswell-sibling. I know you are well aware of what Audrey Rose and I got up to last night.”

Daciana only shook her head as I made fast work of my waistcoat and suit jacket, securing both onto my body. I ran a hand through my brunette curls as I let out a long sigh, Daci and I beginning to make our way through Audrey Rose’s Grandmama's home. After some time in silence, Daci spoke, her tone shockingly serious, “I knew you were going to be in there.”

“Audrey Rose requested for me to stay with her late last evening after we had talked about our wedding. Do not believe that I forced anything upon her.”

Daci managed a delicate smile as well as a soft laugh as she spoke, “Little brother, you would never hurt a fly, let alone force yourself upon a woman.” She exhaled. “I was referring to the fact that you didn’t come to my chambers last night.”

I raised a brow at her, questioning, “Why would I have come to your chambers last night?”

“Thomas, our parents weren’t ideal. Mother died when you were merely twelve years old, and Father...Father acted more like a stranger to us than he ever did our family. We relied on each other immensely in our upbringing.”

My expression remained the same, still perplexed as to how our upbringing had any relation to me visiting her private chambers in the middle of the night. Daciana continued, “You’ve always come to me when you needed to express your feelings and thoughts, good or bad. I’ve been your support system for as long as I can remember. Do you recall back in Romania this past December when you first told me you loved Audrey Rose? Back when she refused to speak to you?”

My heart swelled at the mention of those few days in Romania, the days where I had managed to convince myself that I had lost the one thing I loved most in the world forever, simply because of an idiotic decision. Regardless, I nodded. “Of course I remember. I doubt I will ever be able to forget.”

“It’s like that. I know you well enough to know that you would have come to me last night to talk about the wedding and how you felt undeserving of Audrey Rose’s affection. However, you never showed. At first, I assumed that it was because you were busy with wedding preparations with Mrs. Harvey or Liza, but Ileana informed me that they had already retired to bed. So I deduced that you never showed because you no longer need me. That Audrey Rose is now the one individual you can talk to about anything and everything—that I no longer play that vital role in your life.”

“Daci—” My face softened, my heart nearly breaking at her words—the meaning behind them. I stopped walking and placed a gentle hand on Daciana’s arm, stopping her as well. 

“I’m not upset, Thomas. Truly, I have never been more proud. You are, at last, happy.”

I smiled sadly at her, caressing my thumb against the fabric of her dress. “Just because I now have Audrey Rose does not mean I will stop needing my sister.” 

Daci scoffed with a likewise smile to my own as she elaborated, “I know. I just don’t want to lose our connection because as much as I may jest about feeling different, I do love and care for you, Thomas. Very much so.” 

“I love you too, Daciana. And I thank you for everything you have ever done for me, both as children and now as adults. I am eternally grateful.” I dropped my hand from her shoulder, both of us continuing through the home until we had reached the kitchen. We simultaneously stopped in the entryway as Mrs. Harvey chirped, “There is the groom!”

I couldn’t contain my grin as Daci’s arm wrapped around me, offering me a loving smile. Turning my attention to the kitchen before us, my eyes scanning the room, taking a moment to appreciate everyone there. Ileana, Daci, Mrs. Harvey, Amelia, Liza, Edmund, Jonathan, the servants and lastly, Audrey Rose. My gaze lingered on hers, locked on each others. She flashed me a wide grin, myself returning the gesture in kind. My heart overflowed with love and adoration for her, to an extent that I often questioned was unhealthy. It felt odd to have such strong feelings for someone yet I didn’t care because as Daciana had said, I was  _ happy.  _ After years upon years of pain and suffering, I was finally happy. 

With one last glance around the room, I exhaled deeply. 

_ I finally had a place to call home. _


	19. Jealous Audrey Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Can you make a story where Audrey Rose gets jealous of a girl flirting with Thomas?

Thomas was uncomfortable.

Well, he was uncomfortable in a vast majority of his social encounters, however, this one was far worse than he had imagined. A young girl with light blonde hair, blue eyes, and delicate facial features had had a piqued interest in the mysterious, young English man investigating a homicide, taking the first opportunity available to spark a conversation with him while Audrey Rose was speaking with her uncle.

Perhaps the conversation wouldn’t have been as brutal as it was at the present moment if Thomas weren’t in the middle of an investigation, the body of the deceased remaining only a few feet away from where the woman—Abigail—and Thomas stood.

Abigail’s hand remained on his arm, as she spoke, “Why is a man with such angelic features spending his time surrounded by decaying bodies when he could very easily be spending his time doing other...less than decent activities with  _ living  _ people?”

Thomas contained the roll of his eyes and a sigh, attempting to stay polite despite the urge to walk away without saying another word. He forced a smile upon his lips as he pressed his hand flat against his chest, directly over the tattoo he had gotten inked into his skin only a few weeks prior—the tattoo that outwardly showed his permanent love for Audrey Rose Wadsworth. He answered, “What can I say? Forensics wholly own my heart.”

Scoffing, Abigail moved closer towards Thomas’s body, her grip firm on his arm. “I know of a lovely blonde haired, ocean eyed, American young lady who would take much better care of your heart than something as absurd as science. I can tell by your appearance that you are not unwealthy, meaning you have no real reason to spend your time with cadavers.”

“Actually, I—”

“I am very quite certain my father would agree to the engagement. He always said he dreamed I’d marry an English man. A very, very handsome, dashing—”

Thomas felt a hand wrap around his arm, tugging him out of Abigail’s unpleasant grip. He turned his head, his gaze landing upon his fiancée and love of his life, Audrey Rose. Thomas looked down upon his arm to see her flaunting off his family ring—her engagement ring—despite the weather being too cold for bare hands. Audrey Rose pressed a kiss to his cheek, Thomas than whispering in her ear beneath his breath, “Thank the saints.” 

He kissed her temple in return then grabbing Audrey Rose’s left hand in his fingers, raising it to his lips to brush a kiss across her knuckles. “Hello, my darling fiancée,” Thomas flirted, putting emphasis on the title  _ fiancée _ . 

Audrey Rose’s cheeks flushed as she replied, “Hello, my love.” With incredibly faked interest, she turned towards Abigail—the blonde’s brows furrowed at the uninvited third party—Audrey Rose speaking, “Who is this?”

Thomas understood Audrey Rose’s game, smirking at her momentarily as he answered, “this is Elizabeth.”

“Abigail!” she whined, easily falling for Thomas’s acting. He remembered her name perfectly well, however, he might as well have a little fun while the situation provided it. 

“Ah! Of course. My sincerest apologies,” Thomas said, biting his lip to contain his laughter at her visibly angry expression. 

Audrey Rose smiled, turning to face Abigail. “It is wonderful to meet you! I see you have met my fiancé, Thomas.  _ Fiancé.  _ I still cannot comprehend it!” She thrust forward her left hand, showcasing the large red diamond on her fourth finger. “Isn’t it just stunning?”

Abigail’s face softened, though only slightly as she held Audrey Rose’s fingers, examining the elegant ring. “It is indeed.”

“Audrey Rose! Thomas!” Jonathan’s voice called. The young couple looked over at Jonathan who waved at them to come over. Thomas and Audrey Rose looked back at Abigail.

“It appears as though we have become of use,” Thomas stated, his lip curling into a smirk.

“It appears so.”

Audrey Rose and Thomas turned, only making it two steps away when they heard Abigail’s voice once more, “That ring would look much better against  _ my  _ complexion than it currently does on hers!”

Thomas turned slowly, Audrey Rose placing a hand on his arm. He grinned and let out a chuckle. “Well, that is disappointing for you because as long as it is my concern, that ring will remain on Audrey Rose’s finger until the stars in the sky are no more.” 

He intended to spin on his heel towards the direction Jonathan waited for them in, however, he was stopped by Audrey Rose’s hand on his cheek, pulling his face down to hers. She held him in placed as she kissed him, Thomas returning the welcome gesture despite how indecent it was still considered among society, given that they were not yet wed. When they pulled apart, Thomas watched as Audrey Rose glared daggers towards Abigail and he swore he had never felt more proud. Audrey Rose finally faced her uncle to reluctantly waited for their assistance, dragging Thomas along behind her by his hand. 

“Have I ever expressed how much I love you?” Thomas asked, jogging to walk alongside Audrey Rose. 

She allowed herself a brief smile as she faced him. “Yes, you most certainly have.”


	20. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Audrey Rose has a nightmare??? ps i fucking love your fics wowowowow

The sound of knuckles rapping against the door to Thomas’s sleeping chamber awoke him from his slumber. He glanced towards the clock on the nightstand, seeing that it was nearly four in the morning. Exhaling, Thomas rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood from the bed, making his way towards the door, wearing nothing but his drawers. By the time his hand was on the doorknob, he realized it probably wasn’t the greatest idea to answer the door in only his drawers, however, he was too tired to bother throwing something on.

Thomas opened the door, revealing Audrey Rose Wadsworth, her eyes a bright shade of red as tears poured down her cheeks. She let out a short sob, prompting Thomas to gently pull her into his chambers, shutting the door behind him. All the exhaustion that was previously in his body was suddenly gone, replaced with a deep worry for his love. Thomas took her hand loosely in his own, ushering her towards the large bed pushed against the wall. Audrey Rose tentatively sat on the edge of the mattress, Thomas immediately kneeling before her on the floor as she cried into her palms. He grabbed her hands, delicately prying them away from her face in order to cup her cheeks, brushing away her tears with his thumbs. “What is the matter, my love?” Thomas spoke softly, his voice hardly more than a whisper.

Audrey Rose hiccuped a sob, managing to ask, “do you hate me?” Thomas’s eyes widened, completely taken aback by the absurd question. She moved forward without an answer from Thomas, responding, “I had a nightmare, Cresswell.”

Thomas grazed his thumb across her cheek once more, not strictly with the function to wipe away her tears, but rather to bring her comfort in her moment of vulnerability. “Was it another one regarding Nathaniel?”

Audrey Rose shook her head, choking on yet another sob. 

“Take your time, angel.  _ Breathe _ ,” Thomas instructed, his voice and facial expression both so incredibly soft. He watched her as her eyes fluttered shut, her chest rising as she took a long, deep breath in before exhaling just as slowly. “Just like that, love.” 

Once Audrey Rose was calm enough to breathe at a steady pace, Thomas asked, “Did your nightmare have to do with the Etruria?” 

Audrey Rose nodded once again, Thomas immediately deducing exactly what had occurred within her dream, connecting the dots between her earlier question and the Etruria. He sighed, licking his lips as he spoke, “Love, did I leave you?”

At his words, Audrey Rose’s tears returned as she shook her head in confirmation. “You told me that you hated me, Thomas. You said you never wished to see me again,” she murmured through her sobs. “And I cannot help but wonder if you truly resent me for what I did. I cannot help but wonder if perhaps my nightmare was merely what I knew subconsciously, that you indeed hate me.”

“Audrey Rose…” Thomas mumbled, trailing his fingertips across the hot, damp skin of her face. “If I truly hated you as you seem to believe, would I have placed this very ring upon your finger?” He raised her left hand, gesturing to the red diamond ring on her fourth finger—his family heirloom that now belonged to Audrey Rose, an heirloom that proclaimed her and Thomas’s official betrothal.

Audrey Rose simply shrugged as she gazed at the ring, then returning her attention to Thomas’s face as he brushed his lips over her knuckles, a soft kiss to her skin. Finally, she whispered, “I thought you might have felt chained to me—that I was a burden you would have to suffer with for the rest of your life.”

Thomas lightly squeezed her fingers, answering, “No, Audrey Rose, I do not hate you. Not for a single moment have I so much as imagined the thought of hating you nor will I ever. I did not place this ring upon your finger because I consider you a burden, my love, I did it because I  _ want  _ to spend every moment of my life with you. Because I  _ want  _ to make you my wife. Nothing— _ nothing _ that occurred on Etruria I blame you for, Audrey Rose. Your heart always remained in the correct place, regardless of what anyone might claim. You were the victim to Mephistopheles’s manipulation and deceit, not the other way around.”

“How can you forgive me so easily? I told you that I wasn’t certain of my feelings for Mephistopheles, Thomas. There is no excuse for that,” Audrey Rose spoke, her voice breaking from guilt with every word.

Thomas brushed his thumb across her lower lip, admiring her features. He exhaled before explaining, “The Mephistopheles you contracted feelings for was merely an illusion, one of Ayden’s intricate magic tricks. His entire occupation is built upon lies, using those deceptions for his own personal gain. The Mephistopheles you thought you knew—the Mephistopheles that made you question your feelings—was nothing more than an alteration of his personality in an attempt to use you—to take advantage of you. I promise you, my love, that I do not blame you for any of it.”

Audrey Rose placed her hands on Thomas’s cheeks, pulling him up to her lips and kissing him with every ounce of adoration she could offer. “I love you, Thomas James Dorin Cel Rau Cresswell,” she murmured against his lips.

Thomas kissed her softly. “And I love you, Audrey Rose Wadsworth.” He pressed his forehead against hers, soaking in her presence, the feeling of her against him.

She grinned. “It will not be Wadsworth for much longer. Soon it will be Audrey Rose  _ Cresswell. _ ”

Thomas chuckled softly, a smile growing on his lips. “Indeed.” 

The room fell into a peaceful silence, one that reminded Thomas of exactly how late it was. “You should retire to bed, my sweet. In only a few hours, the sun will begin to rise.”

Audrey Rose traced the line of his collarbone with her fingertip before lifting her gaze up to his. “Could I stay?”

As indecent as it was considering the fact that they were not married yet, Thomas nodded as he pulled away from her body. He watched Audrey Rose blush as she crawled across the bed towards the pillows, slipping herself beneath the bedsheets. “Come here,” she mumbled quietly into the dark of the room. 

Thomas obliged, rising from the floor to lift the corner of the comforter on the bed, joining Audrey Rose’s side. Immediately, she laid her head on his chest, curling into the warmth of his body. Thomas wrapped his arm securely around her, pulling her tightly against his chest before drifting off into a tranquil slumber.

  
  



	21. Panic Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Thomas having a panic attack w/ audrey rose comforting him????

Thomas wasn’t insecure about many things. He knew he was pleasing to the eyes of many, had an above average intelligence, and had a fun yet controversial wit, all of which were qualities that he didn’t detest. However, one aspect of his persona that Thomas was always insecure about was Audrey Rose’s affection. Ever since he had first met her in Professor Wadsworth’s laboratory all those months ago, Thomas had felt undeserving of having such a brilliant, exquisite, extraordinary individual in his life, but now that she was his  _ wife  _ and not just an acquaintance, it made him feel undeserving of her even more so. Despite this, Thomas had managed to persevere, to wrap his mind around the fact that Audrey Rose  _ wanted  _ to be with him. That she loved him. After so long, he had finally begun to understand that he was not unworthy of her love, rather that they were equals—neither above nor below the other. 

Those dark thoughts had managed to slip from Thomas’s mind during the first few months of his and Audrey Rose’s new life as a married pair. Instead, he had opted for merely appreciating and embracing every moment he spent with her, truly soaking in all of her love and affection. 

Everything had been on an upward slope since his traumatic childhood, specifically now that he had Audrey Rose in his life. That was until the day Thomas had received a letter from a name he hadn’t heard or seen in many months, far before his and Audrey Rose’s initial engagement.

_ Lord Richard Abbott Cresswell.  _

His father. 

At first, Thomas had been reluctant to read the letter, not wanting to tear open old wounds that had finally begun to heal, however, he knew he couldn’t ignore his father forever. And with a slow exhale, Thomas carefully opened the letter and removed it from its pristine envelope, unfolding the piece of paper to see his father’s elegant script. 

By the time Thomas had finished reading the letter not once, but twice, he was too stunned by the final lines to even fret about the mention of Daciana’s return to England after spending many months travelling around Europe with Ileana. 

_ I request your presence at the Cresswell estate immediately. It is urgent.  _

_ Lord Cresswell _

It appeared as though even  _ his own father _ wasn’t capable of referring to himself as such within the valediction of a letter, let alone in person. Additionally, the absence of the word “sincerely” before Richard’s title also contributed to Thomas’s uncontrollable eye roll, internalizing the fact that his father had such little care for him that he didn’t even bother including such a sentiment. 

Despite the strong urge to toss the letter into the rubbish beside his desk and act as though it had never arrived to begin with, he knew he had no other choice than to attend whatever it was that was so vital for his debut. With a long sigh and brush of his fingers through his unruly curls, Thomas stood from his desk and turned to face the doorway, though upon first glance, he spotted a familiar figure standing in the doorframe, Audrey Rose. 

“That was quite the dramatic exhale, my dear Cresswell. Are you alright?” she asked as she took a slow step into the study, cocking her head to the side with piqued interest. 

Thomas ran his thumb across his lower lip in thought before dropping his arm, his forefinger rapping gently against the side of his thigh. It was an old habit, one Thomas frequently executed when he had lived at the Cresswell estate with his father, each tap of his finger matching the rhythm of the elaborate grandfather clock in the dining hall. The gentle taps had helped to keep his mind focused when his body craved nicotine, though now that Thomas had quit smoking over a year ago, the tapping was just a functionless, lingering habit, specifically noticeable when his anxiety was heightened, much like the present moment. 

“Thomas?” 

Audrey Rose’s voice brought him back to reality, prompting him to raise his hand with his father’s letter in it, offering it to her. Hesitantly, she took the folded paper from his fingers, waiting until Thomas offered her a slight nod of his head to open it and read what lied inside. After a few moments of silence, Audrey Rose looked up as she folded the paper once again and handed it back to Thomas. 

“Why would your father wish to see you so suddenly? He certainly didn’t seem interested in your life when you sent him a letter about our engagement  _ and _ the one about our marriage. He didn’t even bother to send you a letter in regards to your eighteenth birthday,” Audrey Rose spoke.

Thomas shrugged, truly just as clueless to the situation as she was. “I am not entirely sure myself, love, though I assume there is only one way to find out.”

Audrey Rose’s brows nearly reached her hairline as she exclaimed, “You’re going?”

Moving around the corner of his desk, Thomas grabbed his coat from where it was tossed over the back of his chair and tugged it onto his arms, immediately adjusting the collar at the back of his neck. Just as Audrey Rose opened her mouth to protest, Thomas began, “Angel, I  _ promise  _ I will be fine. Besides, regardless as to what happens with my father, Daciana will be there and I have not seen her since we were in America. If all goes terribly, at least I will get to see my sister.”

He watched as Audrey Rose released a hesitant sigh followed by a short nod of her head. “Okay. Alright, I trust your judgement,” she expressed before crossing the distance between them, resting her hands on either of his biceps. Audrey Rose slipped them up past his shoulders, around to the back of his neck, tugging him closer. Thomas’s hands lingered at the small of her back, pulling her flush against him. She continued, “All I ask is that you remain cautious. Your father is a cruel, manipulative man. Don’t let him get in your head.”

With a soft smile, Thomas replied, “I know,” before lowering his lips to hers, capturing her mouth in a sweet kiss. 

“Would you like me to join you?” Audrey Rose murmured softly against his lips. “My presence might make it slightly easier for you to face your father.”

Thomas shook his head before resting it against Audrey Rose’s, faces so close he could feel her warm breath on his lips. “I feel as though I have to do this alone, though I do appreciate the sentiment. Besides, if the day ever comes where you have to meet my father, I want it to be on my own terms. My father, at the present moment, holds all of the cards due to my lack of knowledge in regards to the situation. I will be powerless the mere moment I enter the estate and I do not wish for you to go through that as well.”

Audrey Rose nodded and offered him another kiss to which he returned in kind, humming in pleasure against her lips. “I love you,” she mumbled softly.

“And I love you,” Thomas echoed, a delicate smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Managing to steal yet another swift kiss, both to her lips and cheek, he pulled out of her soft grip and headed towards the door. 

***

The voyage to the Cresswell estate was perhaps the worst fifteen minutes of his life. The anxiety of seeing his father had only intensified over the course of travelling, making Thomas regret his decision of refusing Audrey Rose’s offer to accompany him on such an occasion. All he could focus on was the lack of her comforting hand in his own, how desperately he wished to hold her in his embrace, flush against his chest. Regardless of the fact he needed Audrey Rose to keep himself calm, Thomas simply missed his wife and wished she were with him, though he knew deep down that he had made the correct choice of doing this on his own. 

The moment Thomas pushed open the grand doors of the Cresswell estate, he was greeted with the same old, familiar scent he grew up with as a child, forcing a wave of nostalgia over his body. Almost as if that feeling was real, Thomas heard the recognizable voice of his sister calling his name. It took him a moment to realize her voice was not a figment of his imagination as he turned his attention to the entryway of the next room to see Daciana dashing towards him, a wide grin splitting her face in two. 

Before Thomas could process what was occurring, Daci’s arms were flung around his neck, nearly preventing the air from reaching his lungs. Instead of fighting her embrace, he wrapped his arms equally as tightly around her waist, lifting her off of the ground, and spun her in a number of circles until the room began to spin and Daciana’s squeals of delight had quieted. 

“What in the name of the Lord is— Ah…I see,” Richard’s voice sounded from the opposite side of the room. 

Reluctantly, Thomas placed his elder sister back to the floor, waiting silently as Daci fixed the skirt of her gown, followed by her hair. He flashed a smug smirk to his father, forcing down any ounce of fear that strived to surface. 

Richard cleared his throat, prompting Daciana to chirp, “Oh, do not look so disappointed to see Thomas, Father. You  _ did  _ invite him after all.”

“Solely because I feared you were to threaten me with a knife if I declined your wishes one more time,” Lord Cresswell responded as he suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. 

With a well-groomed brow raised in interest, Thomas turned his attention towards his sister. Daciana flushed as she spoke, “Perhaps I provided some...minor encouragement to our Father to exceed his invitation to his one and only son, as well as I. Although I swear I never touched any of the knives, I only offered them a quick glance. I ultimately decided my charming features were too good to waste away in prison for the murder of someone many others are probably planning as we speak.”

“Do not give away my secrets quite yet, Daci. I wanted Father’s death to be a shock,” Thomas jested, though the idea of it sounded far too appealing. 

Richard took a deep breath and this time didn’t make any effort to control his eye roll as he spoke, “I have summoned the both of you here to discuss serious matters, not for you to make a fool of one another and oneself. Come now, I haven’t got all day.”

Grudgingly, the Cresswell siblings followed as Richard led them into the dining hall, taking his seat at the head of the grand, mahogany table. Daciana took her place to his left as Thomas took his seat on his right, leaving one space between them. Richard grabbed a cigarette and offered it to his son, to which Thomas only shook his head, prompting a confused look on Richard’s features.

“I quit smoking in late November, early December,” Thomas explained. “I have not touched a cigarette since.” 

Lord Cresswell scoffed. “Let me guess, for Audrey Rose?” he said in a mocking, high pitched tone. 

It was directed as an insult, Thomas could tell, however, that was a fact he often prided himself for, not what his father had implied. He responded, “That. As well as the fact that I finally began to care enough about my well being to stop.” 

The room fell silent, so silent one could hear the sound of a pin needle crashing to the floor. Thomas cleared his throat and asked, in an attempt to diverge the subject, “Now, what exactly was so important for my attendance to be necessary?”

Richard flashed him a glare before responding, sarcasm strung through his tone, “I am glad to see you still lack respect or manners for anyone but yourself, Thomas.”

“You know what they say, like Father, like son.” 

Many times throughout Thomas’s adolescence, Richard had suggested he find and secure a good wife to produce heirs with, then sleep with whomever he desired afterwards, as long as his image in society remained intact. Thomas clenched his fist beneath the table to prevent himself from informing his father that  _ “whomever you choose to bed after you’re married is not my concern” _ was not  _ his _ particular definition of respect, but he wasn’t one to listen to Richard’s advice or critics anyways. 

Lord Cresswell only continued, “Anyhow, back to the matter at hand. I have summoned you both here to inform you that Catherine and I are getting a divorce.”

Daciana’s brows rose to her hairline in shock, an expression Thomas could only assume mirrored his own, though, after a moment, he knew why his stepmother would want to get out of such an awful marriage. It almost saddened him that it took her so long. “I thought things between you were going well, why divorce so suddenly?” 

Richard let out a long exhale and began, “Well, given that you are now a husband yourself, Thomas, you should know how difficult of a task it is to remain faithful. Especially given that you are married to Audrey Rose Wadsworth of all women. I can only assume that she hardly bothers to give you any attention since she is more than likely preoccupied with other, much better men than yourself. It would be a shame for her to miss such easy, welcome opportunities. I mean, you  _ have  _ been married for over six months now and I’ve yet to receive any letter about the conception of any Cresswell heir, so perhaps she’s beginning to have second thoughts.”

Thomas’s brows rose. “No, Father, I would  _ not  _ know  _ ‘how difficult of a task it is to remain faithful’  _ because unlike yourself, I love and respect wife, both her body and her mind. I would not so much as bat an eye at another woman because I do not desire anyone who is not Audrey Rose herself. Perhaps that is why your marriage has failed, and mine is flourishing.”

With a loose chuckle, one that sent shivers down Thomas’s spine, Richard spoke, “You are young, Thomas, as is Audrey Rose. I was once there too, a young man, newly married to your mother. It may begin wonderfully, giving one another your undivided attention, believing you have found your one true love, but soon enough you shall see. You will get bored and grow tired of one another. You will find habits of the other that you can no longer tolerate, and eventually, grow so sick of them that you instead turn your priorities elsewhere. You begin taking longer glances towards the maids, asking high-class bachelorettes to dance at balls, perhaps even visiting brothels if you wish to take that risk on your appearance in society in exchange for a pleasurable experience.” He paused momentarily, presumably for what was commonly referred to as Cresswell dramatics. “If you truly believe what you and Miss Daisy Rose have is going to last, you are severely mistaken.”

“ _ Audrey  _ Rose. Not  _ Daisy _ . If you’re going to insult my marriage or my wife, have the decency to know her name.”

Richard placed a mocking hand against his heart as he replied sarcastically, “My sincerest apologies. I merely assumed her parents could not agree on their preferred type of flower and ultimately decided that both would suffice for the name of their newborn child.”

Thomas rolled his eyes, pushing down his boiling anger. “Regardless, your assumptions about  _ my  _ relationship is nothing more than that.  _ An assumption.  _ You have not met Audrey Rose, and if it remains in my control, you never will. You have no preconception as to how Audrey Rose or I behave in our marriage, nor what we do in our bed. I have been and always will be faithful to Audrey Rose, not because of God or his wishes, but rather because I love and respect her.” 

“Daciana,” Richard said, turning to his left to face his daughter, completely disregarding Thomas’s words. “As the older, more knowledgeable Cresswell, do you recall how your mother and I acted when you were a young child? Relationship wise.”

Daci flashed a hesitant glance towards Thomas, knowing her answer was not going to please him or herself. She wanted to stick up for Thomas, she truly did, however she couldn’t deny the facts. Reluctantly, she answered, “You two were happy. You were happy and in love.”

Lord Cresswell faced Thomas once again. “How do you recall my marriage to your mother, Thomas? Go on, do not act timid all of a sudden.”

“Mother was miserable.”

“As was I,” Richard stated simply. “You see, Thomas? Surely you inherited enough intelligence from myself in order to understand that I am not in the wrong here. Not a single thing I have spoken today has been a lie, and with time, you yourself will observe that firsthand. Had your mother not fallen ill and died, our marriage would have come crumbling down before your very eyes.”

“We are vastly different people, Father, and therefore, have vastly different fates. The only reason both of your marriages have failed is because  _ you  _ fail to put any effort into them. You treat your wives as nothing more than objects to use as you wish and to produce heirs. In that way—and many others, we are very different people.” 

“You may feel that way, but what about your pretty little wife? She is a Wadsworth, the only daughter of Lord Edmund Wadsworth. Do you truly believe she wants to spend the rest of her life with you, the heir to Prince Dracula? How could  _ you  _ feel deserving of someone like her?” Richard halted as a clever smirk grew on his lips, an expression which indicated he had made a clever deduction. “Tell me, son, among your many adventures together, not once has Audrey Rose questioned her love for you? Not once has she so much as thought about leaving you for another?” 

Thomas felt his heart drop into his stomach, though he knew it was scientifically impossible, he momentarily believed that he had broken the laws of human anatomy. If there was one thing Thomas hated more than Andreas for nearly killing Audrey Rose on the Etruria, it was when Richard Abbott Cresswell was right. And, at the present moment, he was.

Audrey Rose  _ had  _ questioned her love for him on the Etruria. Yes, Mephistopheles manipulated her and deceived her into believing him to be a completely different man, but the fact remained the same. She was capable of gaining feelings for someone else. 

Richard noticed his son’s hesitation, his smug expression expanding in satisfaction. “Ah, so there  _ was  _ another man involved. If her feelings were so quick to change then, why shouldn’t you believe they could change once again?”

Thomas opened his mouth to speak, though his words were cut off by Daciana’s, “The love Audrey Rose and Thomas share is unlike anything you are even capable of imagining, Father. I suggest you begin taking advice from your son before you ruin a third marriage.” She turned her attention to her brother, adding, “Thomas, I believe this family discussion has officially expired. Allow me to walk you to the door?”

Thomas offered her a nod as he stood from his seat and faced his father. With as much sarcasm as he could muster, Thomas stated, “As always, Father, it has been a pleasure. Please send Catherine my regards. She deserves them much more than you do.”

Daciana looped her arm through Thomas’s and lead him towards the grand door he had initially entered from. With a drawn-out embrace and quick kiss to his cheek, they each said their farewells, and Thomas was, at last, on his way home. 

***

The moment Thomas entered his and Audrey Rose’s home, he released a long, slow exhale as he ran a hand through the unruly curls atop his head. He couldn’t stop the echoes of his father’s words in his head. 

_ Do you truly believe she wants to spend the rest of her life with you, the heir to Prince Dracula?  _

_ How could  _ you  _ feel deserving of someone like her? _

_ If her feelings were so quick to change then, why shouldn’t you believe they could change once again? _

It had taken over eighteen  _ years  _ to banish Richard Cresswell’s voice from his head, only for one short meeting to reverse everything he had worked towards. It was oddly impressive at how easily his father was able to deduce everyone’s vulnerabilities and use them to his advantage. 

Perhaps Mephistopheles and Richard would get along quite nicely. 

Thomas shook the thought from his head, not wanting to imagine even the possibility of them ever coming into contact with one another, of the possibility of his father ever discovering what occurred on the Etruria in early January. However, the moment he shoved those thoughts aside, another took their place. 

_ What if Richard was right? What if the concept of love and marriage was designed to fail? After all, the human species began as non-monogamous, so who was to rule out the possibility that monogamy was never intended for humans biologically? That humans are not capable of living content, long-lasting lives in monogamous relationships? _

Thomas noted the sweat pooling in his palms as his hands shook, his heart rate increasing. Air felt heavy, dense, as though he had to force it down his throat in order to make it to his. His chest felt tight and instantly, Thomas knew what was happening, remembering the numerous times this had occurred throughout his adolescence. He recalled the many times as a child he would run to Daci’s room for comfort after an aggressive argument with Richard, none of which ending in Thomas’s favour. 

Next, Thomas felt the tears begin to build in his eyes, though he held them back, not wanting to appear weak despite the fact no one was near. Perhaps he didn’t want to appear weak to  _ himself _ . The moment his knees gave out and he fell to the floor, Thomas began to sob, shakily gasping for air throughout his wailing. 

_ No one longs to take a monster to their marital bed. _

_ You care only for yourself and prove that through your cursed actions daily. _

_ Not once has she thought about leaving you for another? _

_ I’m not certain what I feel. _

_ Marriage is no more than a mutual agreement between two parties to combine wealth. _

_ I would rather perish an old maid than subject myself to a life with you and your best intentions. _

Richard and Audrey Rose’s voices alternated in his head over and over again, slowly driving him mad. His father was right,  _ saints _ , why was his father always right? Thomas’s head began to ache, voices screaming in his mind from every direction, over and over, over and over— 

“Thomas!” Audrey Rose’s voice pierced through the others like a dagger, forcing his eyes open to make out the silhouette of his wife. His eyes were too blurred with tears to make out her features, but the sight of her—as scarce as it was—was an instant relief, though his mass state of panic had not yet subsided, not even close to being gone. 

“Audrey Rose?” he called out, his voice no more than a whisper.

“I’m here, my love. I’m right here.” She placed her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze as her other hand cupped his cheek, brushing away his tears with her thumb. “Tell me what you need, my sweet boy, I’m here. I’ll always be right here.”

Thomas hiccupped a sob, gasping for air. Instead of replying, he wrapped his arms around Audrey Rose’s torso, pulling her into his lap as he buried his face into her neck. He clung to her body, fingers fisted in the back of her gown as he breathed her in, her calming, familiar scent. 

“I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever,” Audrey rose murmured as she toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck, softly scrapping her nails against his scalp. “Beyond life, beyond death. My love for thee is eternal.”

Thomas held her impossibly closer, desperately wanting to believe her words.

“I love you, Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell. Look at me, my love,” Audrey Rose instructed softly, resting her hand on his damp, tear-stained cheek. Slowly, after a moment's hesitation, Thomas raised his face to hers, looking her in the eye. Once she had his attention, she proceeded, “You never fail to remind me of how strong and independent I am. You constantly express how I never conform to the will of others, so if I was truly unhappy in our marriage, do you believe I would stay? If I found myself miserable with you, would I stay?”

Thomas opened his mouth to speak though no words came out. He hadn’t thought of it like  _ that. _

Audrey Rose continued, “On multiple occasions, you have given me the choice to leave you if I so desired, but did I take any of them?”

Hiccupping a sob, Thomas shook his head.

“You once told me on our voyage to America that you were never able to deduce what I truly saw in you. What you fail to realize, my dove, is that I have often wondered the same about  _ you _ . Many women would willingly bow at your feet, but only I receive your attention.” When Thomas moved to validate his love for her, Audrey Rose spoke before he was able, “If I cannot believe you are capable of loving me in the same vast way that I love you, and if you cannot believe that I am capable of loving  _ you  _ in the same vast way that you love me, perhaps we can believe it to be true for one another? If you cannot believe in yourself, believe in  _ me. _ ”

“Audrey Rose, we are so incredibly young, what if—”

“Beyond life, beyond death. My love for thee is eternal,” Audrey Rose stated. “Cresswell, there is no possible way for you to know what I am thinking at any given moment or when I am being truthful, but I need you to trust that I would never lie to you when I tell you that I will never stop loving you. For the rest of my life, I will forever be yours.”

After minutes of silence, Thomas lowered his head back to Audrey Rose’s neck, breathing her in. His gasps had calmed into gentle breaths against her skin, and the tears in his eyes had vanished. The only lingering feature of his panic was the slight shake of his hands against her back, though his firm grip on her dress prevented it from being noticeable. Thomas held her closer and Audrey Rose held him just as tightly, wishing she could kiss away all of his pain, all of his past trauma. 

“Thomas,” she whispered next to his ear. “Are you alright, prințul meu?”

He shifted against her body, the only indication that he was still awake despite his obvious exhaustion. Thomas murmured something unintelligible against her neck as he tugged her closer. 

“Pardon, my love?” 

“You’re perfect.”

The ghost of a smile emerged on Audrey Rose’s lips as she pulled back to cup Thomas’s face in her palms, tipping his gaze up to hers. “And you are flawless.” 

She brushed her thumb across his lip before tracing the line of his jaw, watching as Thomas managed a yawn, prompting her to suggest, “Perhaps we should retire to bed. You are clearly exhausted, darling.”

Instead of standing as Audrey Rose expected, Thomas lowered himself to the floor, bringing her down with him so she laid atop his body, her head resting against his chest. As sleep threatened to tug at her own eyes, Audrey Rose settled against his body, his arms wrapped snuggly around her figure. 

“I love you, Audrey Rose Cresswell,” Thomas mumbled against the top of her head. 

“And I love you, Thomas James Dorin cel Rau Cresswell. So incredibly much,” she echoed just as quietly, and within moments, Audrey Rose noticed the slight alteration in his breathing pattern, instantly knowing that her husband was no longer awake, but rather peacefully asleep. She buried her face into the warm skin of his neck as she as well slipped into a tranquil slumber.


	22. The Autumnal Terror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: have you written cressworth with children? because the adorable possibilities are endless. can you please make this happen if it doesn't already exist? i will actually cry

Audrey Rose hadn’t expected her return to forensics to be easy, however, she did not anticipate it to be one of the most exhausting, confusing cases she had ever worked on. 

Malina Odeta Cresswell was just two months old, the newest addition to the Cresswell family, and now that Audrey Rose was fully recovered from the birth of her newborn daughter, she had at last returned to her one true passion—science. Though Thomas and Jonathan refused to let her begin pathology so soon after Malina’s arrival, they had, at last, allowed her to help solve cases and complete paperwork. Despite how desperately Audrey Rose desired to perform autopsies once again, she knew with such a young child, it was not the best idea, so she managed to settle for what was offered to her. 

The case Jonathan and Thomas had been working on for just over a month was in regards to London’s most recent serial killer known as  _ The Autumnal Terror.  _ The name had been chosen based off of the killer’s striking resemblance to the Jack the Ripper case those few years ago, the case that had forever changed Audrey Rose. She shook the thought from her head, glancing down at her exposed chest to wear Malina fed on her breast. The sight of emerald eyes meeting her gaze forced a smile upon Audrey Rose’s lips, momentarily forgetting about the papers upon papers of death and destruction that surrounded her. She traced a delicate fingertip across Malina’s cheek, admiring the magnificence of her. Science and love were truly beautiful things for both of which to come together to create such an innocent, pure being. Audrey Rose would forever be grateful. 

Forcing her gaze away from Malina and up to where Thomas sat across from her, Audrey Rose asked, “What information have you and Uncle deduced so far among your investigations?”

Thomas’s gaze dipped down to the babe in Audrey Rose’s arms before returning to her face, offering her a warm upwards tug of his lips before grabbing a few of the dozens upon dozens of papers strewn across the table before them. After taking a moment to review his notes, Thomas answered, “There have been a total of four victims within the past two fortnights, all of which have been young women. Two of the victims were identified as prostitutes, however, the other two were not.”

“Did the other two women have professions?” Audrey Rose asked.

Thomas shook his head. “One of the deceased was a young mother whom lived with her husband, while the other corpse unidentifiable. The body was too mutilated by the killer for any family to explicitly declare it as their missing loved one.”

“Mutilated, how?” 

“The eyes were missing, as was the heart and the reproductive organs—which is a factor that sets this victim apart from the others. Her throat was cut in the shape of a necklace, and her entire face was covered in bruises.”

Malina made a noise against Audrey Rose’s breast, prompting Thomas to say in response to the infant’s coo, “I know, my princess Malina. It is a truly awful case.”

Audrey Rose managed a scoff of a laugh before turning serious once more. “You said the removal of body parts is what set this victim apart?”

“Not the removal of body parts itself, however, the specific body parts of that victim. All four of the victims were found without their reproductive organs, but the unidentified victim was the only woman to have more than those specific organs taken,” Thomas elaborated as he shuffled through more papers. 

“Did these four women have any connections?”

Thomas shook his head. “None. There was not a single soul who Jonathan or I could find who had come into contact with all four of these women.”

“The irregularity of the victims is interesting. Was there any common factor found between them?” Audrey Rose inquired.

Once again, Thomas shook his head no. 

Audrey Rose took the opportunity to drop her gaze back to Malina, smiling wide as she expressed, “Hello, my lovely baby girl. Hello, my beautiful Malina.” Looking back up at Thomas who was now grinning ear to ear at his view, Audrey Rose questioned, “Due to the precision of the removal of the organs, would the killer had to have had prior anatomical knowledge?”

Thomas nodded, elaborating, “The accuracy of the killings heavily suggest that the murderer was either a medical student or a trained professional, most likely a doctor.”

“Hmmm,” Audrey Rose hummed in thought for a moment. “Have you or Uncle interrogated doctors within the area?”

“Indeed, though none of their responses proved to be relevant to the case.”

Audrey Rose looked down at Malina, gently stroking her soft, delicate skin. “Why would a doctor wish to collect women’s reproductive organs? It does not make any sense, Thomas.”

“In my personal experience with serial killers, Wadsworth, they do not tend to make much sense at all. Perhaps that is why they think killing people is justified if they convince themselves well enough,” Thomas teased, a smug smirk written across his face.

“You know what I mean, Cresswell. I just...I want it all to piece together. I want to see the larger picture.” She paused a moment before asking, “What are the names of the doctors you and Uncle visited? Do you happen to have a list?”

With a nod, Thomas filtered through papers on the table until he came across the correct one, making a sound of success as he did so. He then leaned over the table, offering Audrey Rose the list of names. 

_ Doctor Henry Taylor _

_ Doctor Bennet Jones _

_ Doctor  _ _ Byron Williams _

_ Doctor James King _

_ Doctor Charles Roberts _

_ Doctor Albert Walker _

_ Doctor Oliver Boland  _

Audrey rose paused at the final name. 

_ Oliver Boland.  _

_ Boland. _

Where had she heard that surname before?

Suddenly, Audrey Rose exclaimed, “Aunt Amelia!”

Thomas gave her a confused expression, turning around in his seat to ensure that is aunt-in-law was not behind him, which she was not. He turned back to Audrey Rose, perplexion still evident on his features. 

Audrey Rose elaborated, “One of Aunt Amelia’s ladies at tea shares Doctor Oliver’s surname. Boland. I believe she is his wife, if I am not mistaken.”

“I do not follow. How exactly does one of Aunt Amelia’s acquaintances relate to a serial killer case? Besides, your aunt knows nearly every high-status female in London, I would not be surprised if she knew of the wives of every one of those doctors on that list.”

“ _ No,  _ Thomas.” Audrey Rose’s shook her head as her brows rose, nearly reaching her hairline. “Margaret Boland was at tea with Aunt Amelia, Liza and I just last week. She kept explaining that she and Oliver had been having a difficult time conceiving for  _ years  _ and that she believed prostitutes did not deserve the possibility of conception due to their unholy occupation. What if she is getting Oliver to do her bidding? Ridding the world of those who are undeserving to be mothers?”

“Audrey Rose, you are incredible!” Thomas stated. “Though what of the other two women? They were not prostitutes.”

Audrey Rose chewed on her lower lip in thought. “We shall never know whether the fourth victim fits the pattern due to the fact that she is unidentifiable, however, we just need to determine a connection with the other woman then that should be enough evidence, correct, my love?”

Thomas nodded. “The second victim—the other non-prostitute—was identified as Ada  Davis. She was a young mother and married to a rich man by the name of Percival Davis. It was briefly rumoured that her child was not Percival’s, but rather the offspring of one of the servants.”

“Right there! Margaret Boland is friend’s with Aunt Amelia, meaning she must also have been friends with Ada Davis given their high-societal ranking due to their husbands. Margaret must’ve known Ada indeed committed adultery and saw such an act as sinful. In Mrs. Boland’s eyes, Ada Davis was not worthy to be a mother because she was unfaithful!” Audrey Rose explained. “Cresswell, that must be it!” 

Eyes scanning across the papers sprawled across the table, Thomas, at last, met Audrey Rose’s gaze. “I believe you’ve solved it,” Thomas stated as he hopped out of his seat, quickly snatching his suit jacket from the back of his chair and maneuvered his way around the table to Audrey Rose. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, murmuring against her skin, pride flourishing in his tone, “You are a genius, my sweet.” 

Audrey Rose angled her chin up at him, prompting Thomas to lower himself to her lips, kissing her passionately. Malina made a sound against Audrey Rose’s breast, capturing her father’s attention. Thomas knelt before his loves and brushed his thumb across Malina’s small, round cheek. He kissed her head softly. “ And so are you, my sweet girl. Papa loves you so incredibly much.”

Thomas stood from the floor, stealing one final kiss from Audrey Rose’s lips and whispered against her mouth, “And I love you.”

“I love you too,” Audrey Rose echoed before watching him tug on his jacket all while he crossed the distance to the door. 

Thomas paused in the doorframe, turning to his wife one last time to notify, “I shall make sure to inform your uncle that  _ you _ solved this one, darling. Not him, not me, but  _ you. _ We might’ve never solved it at all if it weren’t for you, Audrey Rose.” 

She felt her cheeks heat at the compliment, offering her husband a sincere smile. “Thank you, Cresswell.”

“Only for you, Wadsworth.”

With that, Thomas left, leaving Audrey Rose with a wide grin splitting her face into two. She looked down at Malina, and somehow, smiled further. Audrey Rose spoke, “We did it, my love. We solved it.”

***

A week has passed since Margaret Boland and Oliver Boland confessed. 

During their confession, Margaret explained that she had picked each and every victim, while Oliver was the one to commit the crimes themselves, just as Audrey Rose had suspected. There was no explanation as to why the fourth victim was so mutilated compared to the previous women other than the fact that Oliver was getting egotistical in his murders, believing himself to have the role of God. 

What Audrey Rose nor Thomas had anticipated was the confession that Audrey Rose Cresswell herself was their planned fifth victim, due to the fact that she had recently given birth to Malina and her passion and occupation in life was science. In Margaret’s eyes, loving forensics and being a worthy mother were not one and the same, instead, worthy of death.

Ironically, if it hadn’t been for the recent birth of Malina Odeta Cresswell, Audrey Rose would have never attended Aunt Amelia’s tea party, and subsequently, never would have had the missing piece of the puzzle, the final clue to solve the case. 

Pushing the murderous Boland’s from her mind, Audrey Rose closed the case file titled  _ “The Autumnal Terror”  _ and tossed it onto the desk in the study. Feeling eyes on her from behind, Audrey Rose turned, feeling her lips tug upwards as she was greeted with the sight of her husband leaning against the doorframe, Malina cuddled in a blanket in his arms, her head lolled against his naked chest. 

“Are you alright, Lady Cresswell?” Thomas asked.

Audrey Rose slowly nodded. She knew that Thomas was aware she would need some time to completely overcome everything that had occurred, seeing as the case had been so similar to Nathaniel’s and that she was the intended next victim. She offered him a smile and closed the distance between them, planting a soft kiss to his lips. Audrey Rose’s gaze fell to Malina, her beautiful, brilliant baby girl. “It still feels unreal. That we have her—that she is ours,” she paused. “Half of you and half of me.”

Thomas’s eyes landed on the silent babe in his arms, holding her even closer to the warm skin of his chest. “She’s perfect. Just like her Mama.” After managing a quiet laugh, Audrey Rose let out a long, slow yawn, prompting Thomas to add, “It is getting quite late, my lovely rose. Perhaps we should retire to bed.”

Audrey Rose nodded, too tired to express anything else.

“I will go bring Malina to her chambers while you go get ready for bed, alright? I promise I shall join you momentarily.”

With another nod, Audrey Rose brushed her fingers across Malina’s forehead, her touch so gentle as to not wake her. She brushed a kiss onto her cheek, whispering, “Goodnight, Malina, my dove. Mama loves you.”

Thomas kissed Audrey Rose’s cheek before exiting the study, making his way to Malina’s chambers the next room over. Audrey Rose made her way to her and Thomas’s private chambers, making quick work of her clothing, and stole her husband’s buttoned shirt off of the end of the bed, draping it over her body. She turned, climbing into bed and waited only a few moments until Thomas arrived. He removed his trousers, leaving him in only his drawers and joined Audrey Rose beneath the covers, tucking her into his warm, welcome embrace. She listened to the familiar rhythm of Thomas’s steady heartbeat, burying herself deeper into his skin, and the moment she shut her eyes, Audrey Rose had drifted to sleep. 


	23. Thomas Taking Care of Pregnant Audrey Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Can you write a fic about Thomas taking care of a pregnant Audrey rose?

“Would you like me to run you a bath?” 

“No, but thank you, my love.”

“Perhaps I should adjust your pillows, you don’t appear to be very comfortable.”

“I am fine, Cresswell. Truly, there is no need to fuss.”

“Tea?”

_ “Thomas,”  _ I groaned dramatically with a laugh. “I’m pregnant, not suddenly an invalid. I assure you if there is anything I need, you shall be the first to know.”

Thomas looked at me hesitantly, questioningly. He raised a brow, pointing an accusatory finger towards my face as he spoke, “Promise?”

I rolled my eyes and moved to playfully nip at the tip of his finger, but he was too swift, moving his hand just before I got the chance, forcing a giggle past my lips at his theatrical exasperated reaction. Thomas gave me a look, one that said,  _ ‘I’m waiting,’  _ encouraging me to respond with a grin, “I swear it.”

My answer seemed to satisfy him, prompting him to capture my lips in his own, his hand rising to cup my cheek. I leaned into him, the warmth of him against me. It was a feeling I’d never tire of, the feeling of Thomas’s love and body, how perfect his figure fit against mine. 

I felt his unoccupied hand slip to my protruding stomach, resting lightly over my skin. It never ceased to amaze me that our child was just beneath Thomas’s gentle hand, that in a matter of weeks—possibly even  _ days _ —our baby would be in our arms, viewing the world for the first time. That Thomas and I would have a small family of our own. It was surreal, yet so incredibly magnificent.

Our child pressed a kick to where Thomas’s hand laid, seizing his attention from our kiss. He raised his hand so only his thumb remained against my skin, brushing the pad of his finger over the place our baby had hit. I watched as Thomas grinned, a smile so genuine and happy that I would trek through hell and back as many times as the number of stars in the universe, just to keep that expression on his lips. He noticed my staring, drawing his gaze back up to mine. “What are you doing, love?”

I couldn’t contain my likewise grin. “Admiring,” I returned as I threaded my fingers through his loose curls, fingernails gently scraping against his scalp. 

“Me or our daughter?”

“Both.”

Thomas raised a teasing brow. “Alas, you finally admit it. Our unborn child is going to be a beautiful little girl, just like her Mama.”

I rolled my eyes. Thomas had been insisting our unborn child was to be a female long before I got pregnant, and now that I was indeed with child—and swiftly approaching the birth—Thomas nearly only referred to the baby as a girl. With his impressive deduction skills, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was correct, though I often entertained the idea of our child being a boy simply for the expression Thomas would make at being incorrect about such an important occasion. 

“Could you retrieve more of those chocolate sweets you and I both happen to adore? Your  _ daughter  _ is awfully peckish at the moment and would desire only the most exquisite of desserts,” I requested, drawing my thoughts back to the present moment. 

Thomas rose from the bed with a slow exhale, rounding the corner to my side before leaning over me, his lips only a hair’s width from my own. “Anything for you, my darling wife,” he murmured lovingly as he pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. Before he turned to exit our chambers, he shifted his attention to my stomach, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of it. “And for you as well, my darling princess.”

Smiling as I watched Thomas leave, I placed my hands on my bare stomach, feeling our baby kick either of my palms. It was an odd yet brilliant experience, one that I could never formally put into words. 

In my many ways of avoiding corsets while pregnant, I had found out early on in my pregnancy that my favourite way to be, was to be naked in bed with my hair loose across the pillows. It put the least amount of strain on my body and allowed for Thomas and I to watch the progression of the pregnancy every day, something that had intrigued and fascinated the both of us immensely. 

Within minutes, Thomas reappeared, carrying a tray filled with chocolate sweets, a cup of tea, a hairbrush and an emerald ribbon. I shook my head at his dramatics, though a smile crept onto my lips regardless. Forcing myself into a sitting position, I watched as Thomas closed the distance between us, instantly placing the tray on the bed in front of my crossed legs. I stole a kiss from his lips, mumbling a delicate, “Thank you, my sweet prince,” before returning my attention to the tray before me, popping one of the chocolate sweets into my mouth with a moan.

Thomas made a suggestive face, forcing me to roll my eyes at his innuendo. It appeared as though my husband’s mind was far too deep in the gutter for his own good if so much as a noise turned his thoughts elsewhere. Thomas only smirked and stole one of the chocolates off of the tray for himself, keeping eye contact as he ate it whole, almost mockingly. He more than made up for his theft by raising my chin with his fingers, taking my bottom lip in his. I smiled into the kiss, basking in how the smallest of touches from him could brighten my whole world. Far too soon for my liking, he broke our kiss, though his lips remained hovering over my own as he mumbled softly, “Move forward for me, love.”

I placed my hand against his chest, using it to push him back slightly in order to flash him a perplexed expression. I hesitated, waiting to see if he would offer an elaboration to his peculiar request, however when none came, I simply moved the tray of sweets forward and obliged him. I looked up at him, offering him a still very much confused look as I questioned, “Does this satisfy your requirements, my beloved husband?” 

Thomas hummed in thought momentarily. “Not quite. Could you move forth a tad further?”

I parted my lips to ask him what in the queen’s name he had in mind but promptly sealed it, knowing it was better to let Thomas’s mind run its course without any interruptions. With a roll of my eyes, I moved forward just as he had urged me to do so. Upon looking at his face a second time, his mischievous grin seemed to prove his amusement. Before I so much as had the chance to ask him what he was doing, Thomas had stolen the ribbon and the hairbrush off of the tray before me and slipped into the place between my back and the headboard of our bed, his legs on either side of my body. Instantly, I knew what he was doing and smiled, more so to myself as I took another chocolate off of the tray and placed it into my mouth. 

Thomas gathered my hair in his fingers at the nape of my neck before pressing a kiss to the curve of my shoulder. “Is this alright, beautiful?”

Turning my head as far back as I could, I spoke, “This is more than alright, thank you, my love.”

He placed another kiss to my shoulder, followed by one to the side of my neck. Thomas raised the hairbrush to my scalp, carefully untangling the dark ebony strands until his fingers were able to slide through my hair without getting caught. Before he began styling my hair, Thomas reached around my body to the tray of sweets, taking yet another chocolate for himself. 

As I managed a scoff, I felt him section my hair into thirds and begin the simple pattern of a braid. I grabbed the cup of tea from the tray, the warmth of the mug warming my palms as I took a sip, embracing the pleasant taste. Somehow, someway, Thomas always made the best tea—exactly the way I like it. It was one of the trivial things about him that only made me love him further—if that was even remotely possible. 

Thomas finished the braid, tying the ends of my hair in place with the piece of ribbon before pulling me down against his chest, his arms wrapping around my body. His hands moved to my stomach, his palms gently cupping the large bump of my belly. I rested my hands directly on top of his, using my forefinger to trace light patterns across his skin. Letting out a sigh of exhaustion despite having done nothing all day aside from rest, I tossed my head back against Thomas’s chest. I raised my head to the underside of his jaw, pressing a kiss to his skin in which Thomas only shook his head dramatically and buried his face in the side of my neck, purring lovingly against me. My head lolled against Thomas’s as his arms tightened around me, pulling me impossibly closer. 

As though our unborn child wanted to join us, I felt a kick against the spot Thomas’s hand laid against my skin, prompting me to ask, “What do you think they’ll look like?”

“If luck is on her side, she will get all of her good looks and sparkling personality from her father. The Cresswell genetics have yet to fail Daciana or I, so I believe that she is in good hands,” Thomas teased, though his words came out muffled, not even bothering to raise his head from the space in my neck. 

I rolled my eyes, squeezing his hands lovingly in my grip. “Is that so?”

“Mmm,” Thomas hummed in approval. “Upon second thought, perhaps my face might be a tad intimidating to others, whereas yours is just astonishingly beautiful. So perhaps your green eyes, dark ebony hair, and your sharp intellect are traits that will be passed down to our daughter. Though I am truly not opposed to either outcome.” He paused, his tone turning serious. “I don’t care if our child is a male or female, whether they do or do not like science, whether they are attracted to the same or opposite sex. I don’t care if they look like a combination of the two of us or look like an exact replica of one of us, as long as they are happy and healthy. I promise, Audrey Rose, that as a father, my main priority is to support and love our children no matter what. And I will always try to be the best for them, and for you.”

Thomas raised his head from my neck, meeting my teary-eyed gaze as I managed a whisper, “Cresswell..”

He tucked my hair behind my ear as a tear slipped down my cheek to which he brushed it away with his thumb. “Yes, my love?” When I made no move to respond, too speechless to form coherent thoughts, Thomas continued, “Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

“No! No— I… Thomas that was perfect. Everything you said— Perfect.”

A tear slipped down his cheek, but before I had the chance to swipe it away, Thomas caught my lips in his own, pouring all the love he could muster into the kiss. And I did the exact same thing. 


	24. Audrey Rose couldn't wait for Thomas to get home...

Audrey Rose couldn’t wait for Thomas to get home. 

It wasn’t merely due to the fact that she missed her husband’s warm embrace and gentle kisses, Audrey Rose had another—arguably more important—origin to her excitement. 

Their occupations as forensic pathologists often required for travelling—specifically alone. It wasn’t uncommon for Thomas to leave the city for a few days, occasionally up to a week in time, for a case, while Audrey Rose remained in London with Uncle Jonathan. 

However, very quickly, Thomas began to notice that without his presence for multiple days, Audrey Rose was easily swept up in a case—overpowered with ambition to solve it. He only knew this from the desperate, emotive state she was in whenever he came home from these trips—reserved and particularly on edge. 

In order to compensate, Thomas had made it routine that whenever he would leave for a case, he left a myriad of letters all over their grand country home, each addressed to Audrey Rose with a different endearment. He hid them in a vast assortment of clever, creative places, each letter containing a sweet note handwritten by himself. Some of which were lines of poetry he penned for her, others contained heartfelt declarations, and occasionally, quotations from novels they both enjoyed, proceeded with an annotation from Thomas. 

Despite the variation of letters, they all served the same purpose; to ground Audrey Rose. 

The catch was that Thomas refused to tell Audrey Rose how many letters he had hidden, providing the constant wonder of _ “are there any more?”  _ after every letter she discovered. The other—and final rule—was that Audrey Rose was forbidden to actively search for the letters. Thomas wanted her to come across them naturally, not using her deduction skills to deliberately look for them. 

Which was precisely the reason Audrey Rose was so excited for Thomas to finally return home after nine days of his absence—the longest trip he had been on without her accompaniment. She longed to wrap her arms around his neck, bury her face deep into his chest. She longed to kiss the signature  _ Thomas Cresswell _ sly smirk away from his lips as her hands explored the strong plain of his chest. However, what she longed to do impossibly more so than the former, was tell her husband the number of letters she had managed to find. 

Audrey Rose always hoped she had missed a few, allowing her to follow Thomas through the estate as he gathered the remaining letters she had yet to find. She loved reading the letters with him sat across from her, providing her with the perfect opportunity to pounce on him and smother him in kisses. 

The moment she heard the front door open, Audrey Rose ran —dashing down the grand staircase as quickly as she could despite her limp and threw herself into Thomas’s open arms. He immediately lifted her off the ground, squeezing her tightly to his chest as they breathed each other in—drawing in the other’s familiar scent. 

“Thomas,” Audrey Rose sighed, pressing her face into the warm skin of his neck. “Welcome home.”

“I missed you immensely.” He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, murmuring softly, “I love you.”

Audrey Rose pulled back, only to grin down at Thomas as she echoed, “I love you,” before capturing his mouth in her own, swiping her tongue along the seam of his lips. He returned in kind, parting his lips in order to explore her mouth fully, drawing her impossibly closer. When Audrey Rose found herself moaning gently against his lips, she forced herself back. 

She slipped down the length of his body, her toes finally greeting the floor once again as she braced her hands on his shoulders, looking up at him with a grin. Thomas lowered his head, pressing a kiss to either of the corners of her mouth, then the tip of her nose, either of her cheeks, her chin, and lastly, one final kiss to her lips. Audrey Rose arched into his touch, pressing her chest flush against his as she tipped her head back to meet his golden-brown eyes. She brushed a gentle kiss to the underside of his jaw as she looped her arms around his neck, fingers buried in the curls at the nape of his neck. 

“ _ Thomas, _ ” Audrey Rose sing-songed sweetly —almost dreamily . She couldn’t contain her anticipation as she said, “I found nine letters, my love. One in the teapot, one beneath my pillow, one on the desk chair, one tucked into one of your shirts, one in the pocket of my coat, one inside that engineering journal I love, one within my shoe, one placed within the bathtub, and lastly, one hidden within my stocking drawer.”

Noting the gleam in her eyes, Thomas smirked —knowing exactly what she was waiting for. He brushed his fingertips down the side of her face, around the curve of her jaw to her chin, tipping her head back slightly further. Audrey Rose knew she was teasing him, purposely drawing out his reply until she whined, “ _ Please? _ ”

Thomas let out a loose, breathy laugh as he pressed a kiss to her check, uttering a quiet, “I hid eleven, draga mea.”

Audrey Rose squealed in delight, nearly bouncing from joy in Thomas’s arms. “Where are they?”

With a short kiss to her lips, Thomas pulled out of her grip, though he caught her hand in his—lacing their fingers together in an elegant knot. He turned back towards her, a sly expression across his features as he spoke, “Patience is a virtue, angel.”

“Virtues be damned, Cresswell. Besides, when have you ever cared for morality? Need I remind you of the time you joined me in my bath when we were seventeen?” 

Thomas tugged gently on her hand as he led her through their grand home. “We were engaged. At least I hadn’t had the gall to do so prior.”

Not yet convinced, Audrey Rose hummed. “And the time you slept with me before marriage?”

“You are likewise to blame for that instance, my beautiful wife,” Thomas declared, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

Audrey Rose merely giggled as she continued following close behind Thomas until he came to a halt before their large bookcase. He dropped her hand, reaching for  _ The Picture of Dorian Gray  _ by Oscar Wilde and grabbed a folded piece of paper from within the novel. Audrey Rose moved to grab the letter from his fingers, but Thomas pulled his hand back before she was able. “Ah ah ah, not so fast my love.”

She flashed him a pout, her brows furrowed. Thomas only cupped Audrey Rose’s cheek in his free hand, using his thumb to push her frown up into a smile before planting a kiss to her lips. When Audrey Rose opened her eyes from the kiss, she was greeted with the sight of the letter directly before her face, forcing a grin upon her lips. Her gaze met Thomas’s as she gave him a hesitant look, to which he spoke, “There was no true reason I made you wait to open the letter other than the fact I simply wanted another kiss from my wife, so you may, at last, indulge in your desires seeing as I received my wish.” 

Audrey Rose rolled her eyes but eagerly took the letter from him anyways. Thomas’s gaze lingered on her as she unfolded the paper, beginning to read;

_ To My Magnificent Wife, _

_ Oscar Wilde, the young gentleman who wrote this very novel, once declared, “Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.”  _

_ If we are to assume this assertion as gospel, then one can infer the counterpart statement to be, “Never treat those you love as though they are ordinary.” _

_ It is to this logic that I choose to live, my lovely Wadsworth. Never for a moment do I wish you to believe you are ordinary or average. You, my love, are exceptional and brilliant. Your deductions, your passions, your persona are all examples of the many ways you are extraordinary. Do not force yourself into the roles deemed appropriate for women by society, unless you desire to partake in these qualities by your own will. You never cease to impress me, Audrey Rose, and for that especially—your mind—I love you. I am honoured to be the man you love, your husband and your best friend.  _

_ With all my love, to the extent as the universe itself,  _

_ Thomas James Dorin Cresswell _

By the time Audrey Rose finished reading, tears brimmed her emerald eyes. She fell into Thomas’s chest, his arms wrapping around her as she squeezed him tightly. “Why this particular spot?” she mumbled against him, looking up to meet his gaze.

Thomas shrugged. “I recalled you mentioning an interest in the novel and I decided it would be a good hiding place. I thought of the hiding place and created a letter based on it.”

“You remembered? Cresswell, that was months ago,” Audrey Rose spoke, her tone completely flabbergasted.

With an easy, simple smile, Thomas answered, “Of course, I did.”

Not knowing what else to say, Audrey Rose merely stated, “I love you so much.”

Thomas kissed her soundly, sweetly. “And I love you.” When he pulled back, he tugged on either of her hands as he moved backwards throughout their home, guiding her along with him. “Let us retrieve the next and final letter.”

Audrey Rose couldn’t contain her grin as she followed Thomas, her gaze not once faltering from his—perhaps briefly down to his lips, but it never drifted from his face—until they had ventured throughout their entire home—ending in their large, private chambers. Raising a curious brow, Audrey Rose’s steps slowed, almost hesitant. Thomas only flashed her a playful smirk as he led her into their shared closet, guiding her until she stood directly before the golden dress he had bought her years ago when they were merely seventeen in Romania. 

Moving behind Audrey Rose, Thomas braced his hands on either of her arms, lowering his head to press a gentle kiss to the curve of her shoulder, followed by a kiss to the side of her neck. “Go ahead, love,” he whispered against her ear, sending shivers up the length of her spine. 

Audrey Rose obliged, fingers fiddling with the dress until she came across a letter tucked within the fabric. Before she got the chance to open it, however, Thomas led her out of the closet to their bed, sitting down on the edge next to her. When he, at last, gave her a small nod of his head, Audrey Rose caved in to her desires and curiosity, unfolding the piece of paper to read;

_ To My Lovely Audrey Rose, _

_ One of the many reasons I love you is your vast intellect. You, Audrey Rose Cresswell, are more brilliant and intelligent than you may ever truly comprehend. I often pride myself for how well I know you, how well I can process and understand your emotions, and with this, I know that you often feel the need to prove your worth. Whether that be to prove yourself to me, to your uncle, to society, or lastly, to yourself. Though if I am honest, I have deduced that it is all of the prior.  _

_ You have this visceral need to defend your heart, a passion so strong that I often admire, however there are moments where it becomes so strong, that it is harmful. You push aside your emotions and your health in order to complete a case, which is precisely why I first began writing these letters. It served as a distraction and a way to tell you, even when I’m absent, to take care of yourself.  _

_ Regardless to the way you view yourself, regardless to what society may think, never fail to remember than I wholeheartedly believe in you. I always have and I always will. I know what you are capable of, my love. I know that you are the strongest, brightest, and smartest individual I have ever had the blessing to encounter, I know that I am beyond lucky to call you my wife, and I know that one day the world will change. One day, perhaps with your influence, the world will come to its senses and allow women the opportunity to study medicine and science, as well as treat them equal to any man. Until that day comes, you need not lose hope. You are a key factor in showing the world what women are capable of, Audrey Rose. I will forever be proud of all that you have and will accomplish, however, you needn’t forget to prioritize yourself. You cannot perform to the best of your abilities if you are not taking care of yourself.  _

_ Your charming husband who loves you with his entire heart,  _

_ Thomas _

_ P.S. I’m serious, love, please make some tea and read a novel, I would rather not be a widow at the age of twenty.  _

Audrey Rose raised her head, meeting Thomas’s gaze. During her time reading, he had moved to sit against the headboard of the bed, his long legs stretched before him. He wore an easy smile, one that showcased his nerves in regards to the fact she had read such a vulnerable letter. Crawling into his lap, Audrey Rose straddled his body, resting her hands on either of his cheeks as she dipped her head to kiss him. It was no more than a brush of her lips against his, though the contact caused either of their hearts to skip a beat in their chests. 

“Did I speak—or rather  _ write _ —out of turn?” Thomas asked hesitantly. His fingers toyed with the fabric of her dress at her waist, releasing his growing anxiety.

Audrey Rose shook her head. “No— I… Thomas, I don’t know what to say. Everything… It was perfect. Everything you said was more accurate than I could ever even  _ attempt  _ to articulate.” 

Lowering her head once more, she kissed him, this time longer and harder. The moment her tongue brushed across the seam of Thomas’s lips, he carefully flipped their bodies, pinning Audrey Rose beneath him as he settled between her thighs. 

“I love you, Audrey Rose,” Thomas breathed against her lips. A million thoughts roamed his mind, though the only one he could even remotely decipher was  _ I love you _ .

Audrey Rose flicked the tip of her nose against his, whispering just as softly as him, “And I love you, Thomas Cresswell.”

Emerald irises met golden-brown ones, sharing a look that explained a thousand words.

Love filled declarations could wait, as could the poetic speeches of trust, care, and honestly. There would be a time for that. Not now, but soon. 

Now was the moment for them to  _ show  _ one another the extent of their ‘I missed you’s, rather than  _ tell _ . To get lost in the feeling of one another, both mentally and physically.

And get lost they did. 


	25. Happy Birthday Audrey Rose *Modern AU*

Thomas had been dragging me all over London for hours, visiting strangers' homes who had had some form of contact with the victim of our most recent case prior to her death. However, what made positively no sense to me was  _ why  _ we were continuing our investigation when Uncle Jonathan had already declared this death as an accident. I had faith in Uncle’s official declarations when it came to cases and I knew if he had even a shadow of a doubt, he would continue the investigation until he was certain. The fact that he had made his official ruling only proved to me that this case was complete. 

However, what confused me most was not the fact that we were continuing a closed case, it was the fact that it was my eighteenth birthday and Thomas hadn’t even remembered. Perhaps it was simply a cruel reminder from the universe that I loved Thomas Cresswell in a vastly different way from the way he loved me. He loved me as a best friend, a forensics partner, maybe even a sister, whereas I loved him as a lover—wholeheartedly and unforgiving. The fact that he couldn’t even remember my  _ birthday  _ was like a knife to the gut.

Thomas had finally, after much begging from myself, allowed us to take a break from interviews in order to visit a small café on the corner of the street. The plethora of notes regarding the case were sprawled across the table before us as Thomas and I sipped on our espresso and tea respectively. 

“Wadsworth?”

My back straightened as I flinched, Thomas’s voice snapping me back to reality. “Hmm?”

He let out a breathy laugh, a lazy grin written across his features as he asked, “Did you listen to a single word I just said?”

I fidgeted with my mother’s locket that hung against my chest as I studied his features. Thomas looked easy, relaxed, and judging his appearance, he didn’t seem to be mad or upset that I had missed whatever he had said. I swiped my tongue across my lips, the only form of moisture from the cool autumn air surrounding us, though I couldn’t help but notice Thomas’s gaze dip down to the movement. Softly clearing my throat, I replied, “Sorry— I guess I got lost in thought.”

“What were you thinking about?” Cresswell asked, crossing his arms over his strong chest. The gesture drew my attention to the flex of his biceps against his shirt.  _ Saints, he was gorgeous, too gorgeous for it to be allowed.  _

Forcing my gaze up to his golden-brown irises, I hesitated a moment. “The case,” I lied. “I don’t get why you’re so persistent that it was murder when all of your evidence is refuted. It seems redundant to continue pestering innocent people about the death of a loved one when the case is solved.”

“Just the case? Are you sure there’s nothing else occupying your thoughts, Audrey Rose?” 

“Why would there be?”

Thomas let out a chuckle which swiftly grew into a vast fit of laughter as he hunched over the table. I raised a brow at him, evidently confused as to what he found so humorous, and glanced around us as the myriad of people offering us judgemental looks. “Cresswell, people are beginning to stare! What on earth is so funny?” I whispered sternly, my gaze flickering back and forth between Thomas and the people around us. 

He huffed out a long breath as he leaned back in his chair, meeting my gaze with a devilish smirk, to which I replied with an accusatory raise of my brow—a look that read,  _ “Talk. Now.” _

“Audrey Rose, you are simultaneously the brightest, most intelligent being I’ve ever had the chance to encounter, whilst also being the blindest,” Thomas spoke, rapping his forefinger against the edge of the table between us. 

“I… I don’t follow? Was that your attempt at a compliment?”

“Oh, my darling Wadsworth, what am I going to do with you?” Thomas teased with a wicked grin. “Tell me, Audrey Rose, I agreed with your Uncle when he came to the conclusion that this particular case was an accident, correct? Why would I suddenly pursue the theory of a murder when we already closed this case?”

Impossibly so, he was confusing me even more than before. “Perhaps you found a piece of evidence that Uncle Jonathan nor I noticed that indicates a murder—or at the very least, refutes the possibility of an accident.”

Thomas shook his head as he took his lower lip between his teeth, the gesture making me squeeze my thighs together. He hummed in thought to himself before declaring, “Jonathan wouldn’t have missed such a detail. It was a good guess, Wadsworth, but no, I did not find any form of evidence to suggest a murder. In fact, I’ve fully believed that this case was an accident from the moment we began stalking our way around London.”

“If you, Uncle, and myself are all in agreement of the case being an accident, why bother dragging me around London with you?”

“You really haven’t figured it out yet?”

“Figured  _ what  _ out, Cresswell?” I snapped. 

Startled from my outburst, Thomas flinched, though before I got to chance to apologize, he elaborated, “I took you around London because I know how much you enjoy working on cases and I thought it would be a good birthday present for my best friend.”

“I— You remembered?” Too many thoughts roamed my mind, too many to formally string together. 

Thomas smiled softly. “Of course, I did. You really believed that I would forget your birthday? Your  _ eighteenth  _ birthday at that.”

“In all honesty, yeah. Thomas,” I paused, attempting to gather my thoughts. “Often I get in these moments where I convince myself that you’re more important to me than I am to you. That you wouldn’t even notice if I just disappeared. Today… I thought today was a confirmation of that.”

“Audrey Rose, I— I’m so sorry. I never, not for a bloody moment, want you to think that I don’t care or that you’re not important to me because you are more important to me than I could ever properly articulate.” Thomas scoffed a laugh and ran a hand through his hair. “You may be brilliant, but you are so incredibly blind, Wadsworth. You can’t see what I’ve laid before you.”

I peered into his eyes, searching and searching and searching. Ultimately, with no answer hidden within the golden flecks in his irises, I uttered, “If I am blind, then enlighten me.”

Thomas cleared the table, stuffing the pages within the pocket of his coat before placing his hand palm up on the table, raising an elegant brow. It was a silent request, that much I could deduce. After a moment's hesitation, I placed my hand over Thomas’s, slipping my fingers in between his and allowed him to guide me wherever he wished. He led me out of the café and into the alleyway a few buildings down the road, immediately backing me up against the brick wall. My breath hitched in my throat as I tipped my head back, peering up at him. 

At last, Thomas whispered, hardly audible beneath the sound of the wind and busy streets, “I’m in love with you, Audrey Rose Wadsworth.” I parted my lips, both in awe and to speak, however, nothing came out. Thomas only continued, “I have loved you from the moment I met you when we were merely sixteen, and my love has only increased since. Every moment I’m with you is both a blessing and a curse; a blessing because I am honoured to be part of your life and a curse because I have lived with the fear that it is all too good to be true. That the world has offered me everything I’ve ever wanted only to someday take all of it away from me.”

I stared up at him, tears brimming my wide eyes as my lips curled into a smile. Slowly, I raised my arms, wrapping them loosely around Thomas’s neck, drawing him nearer. “Everything you’ve just confessed, the love and the fear, I feel to that precise extent. I love you, Thomas, and every moment I’ve pretended I don’t has been pure  _ agony. _ All I’ve ever wanted to do was tell the world that you’re mine, that I love Thomas Cresswell.”

The disbelief that covered his face like a veil I could only assume mirrored my own expression at the moment. Happy, love, and  _ disbelief. _

“Audrey Rose—”

“Just kiss me, Thomas.”

He flashed me a wide, almost giddy grin, before lowering his mouth to mine, kissing me as though we had the rest of our lives to do so. 

And in a way, we did.


	26. Son of the Devil *AU*

All the stereotypes and myths were untrue. 

Contrary to popular belief, vampires  _ were  _ able to see their own reflections—and I was tangible proof of that fact. I studied my reflection intently, brows furrowed as I scanned up and down the length of my body. I wore a sleek black suit—formed to the contours of my figure—paired with an ebony cape draped about my shoulders, cascading down the length of my back. I raised my attention to my face in my reflection as I parted my lips, peering at my elongated canines—physically sharp to the touch. Perfect for piercing skin, if I so desired. My skin was pale—almost ghostly—in contrast to the deep colour of my attire. Or perhaps it had to do with the dark shadows surrounding my eyes that created the illusion of a greater difference in tone. Regardless, I smirked at my reflection before me, the expression almost sinister as I ran my fingers through my dishevelled curls. Tonight, I would finally live up to the standards placed upon me from my mother’s lineage. Tonight I would be the Son of the Devil himself. 

“Thomas James Dorin Cresswell, you look  _ ridiculous _ .”

Ignoring the intended insult, I grinned. Turning on my heel, my cape billowing around me, I met Audrey Rose’s gaze, noticing the roll of her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. Despite the fact that we lived together and nearly every aspect of our lives were intertwined, this year we opted to keep each of our Halloween costumes a secret—only to be revealed on October 31st when preparing for Daci and Ileana’s infamous Halloween party.

At last, I teased, “My love, my darling Audrey Rose Wadsworth, the woman of my dreams, this is  _ Halloween  _ we’re speaking of. Who  _ doesn’t _ look positively ludicrous?” 

“Yes, but you could have had  _ some  _ creativity with it. Instead, you chose the most basic Halloween costume ever created. It’s been done too many times, now it’s just tacky,” Audrey Rose refuted, scrunching her nose in distaste. 

I laid a hand against my chest, mouth gaped in feigned offence and hurt. “It’s not tacky! It’s a  _ classic.  _ Besides, I look quite dapper and elegant in this costume. Though, more importantly, it’s not the vampire costume itself that matters, Wadsworth, it’s the underlying meaning of the outfit.”

Audrey Rose smirked, humming in sarcastic interest for me to continue. “Is this English class now, my sweet? You wish for me to find the elaborate hidden meaning of your  _ vampire  _ costume?” Before I got the chance to speak, she added enthusiastically, “I’ve got it! You’re trying to tell the world that you’re a fan of Twilight—more specifically, team Edward!”

I visibly pouted, the expression enough to cause Audrey Rose to let out a lighthearted giggle. When I deemed that she had finished, both speaking and laughing, I elaborated, completely disregarding her taunts, “As you already know, my love, I am a descendant—“

“A very  _ distant _ descendant—“

“—Of Vlad Tepes, otherwise referred to as Vlad the Impaler,” I finished, ignoring her interruption. “And as you are  _ also _ well aware, Count Dracula, the individual of whom I am currently dressed, was inspired by none other than Vlad. So I found it fitting that I dress as a vampire given my heritage.” 

After a moment of silence, Audrey Rose spoke, “I believe you’re forgetting about the fact your ancestor was a bloodthirsty leader—quite literally.”

I shrugged nonchalantly as though that was only a minor, insignificant detail. “Semantics. Now, as much as I  _ love  _ talking about myself, I’d much rather talk about  _ you _ , my darling rose _. _ Or perhaps I should say  _ ‘Rosie’ _ .” 

Audrey Rose rolled her eyes dramatically, though I could see the upward tilt of her lips—the hint of a smile peeking through her feigned annoyed expression. I eyed her figure up and down, taking in her costume of choice this Halloween season—American feminist icon, Rosie the Riveter. Although I knew Audrey Rose only chose the costume due to the societal impact Rosie’s character had on modern feminism, I couldn’t help but admire how adorable she looked. 

Audrey Rose’s hair was tied up in a sleek ponytail, her dark ringlets falling down her back, with a red bandana tied around her head as a headband. Her makeup was quite light, little more than a touch of bronzer, highlighter, and concealer—only to accentuate her already perfect features. However, aside from that, she wore a stunning bright red shade on her lips, drawing my attention to them. As for her outfit, she wore a full denim attire, paired with chunky combat boots and a belt, making her look like a force to be reckoned with—which in all honesty, she was. 

As I returned my attention to her eyes, so bright green that I often wondered how such a colour could be real, Audrey Rose blushed from my obvious staring. Before she had the chance to come up with a clever quip in return to my pun, I grabbed her hips, slipping my hands around her waist to rest at the small of her back as I tugged her against my chest—planting a large kiss to her cheek. I smiled against her skin, murmuring sweetly, “You look beautiful, my love. Though that’s not really a surprise.” 

“Despite the tacky cape and fangs, you don’t look too bad yourself, Cresswell.”

Audrey Rose raised on her toes the precise moment I lowered my head, pressing our lips together in a long, slow kiss. Soon enough, her tongue had brushed along the seam of my lips, silently begging for access. I obliged.

When Audrey Rose moaned against my mouth, I pulled back, stopping us from going any further—despite how desperately we wanted to. I raised my hand, cupping her cheek in my palm as I brushed my thumb across her skin, then along her lower lip. “Perhaps we should get going, my love,” I suggested, my mouth still hovering dangerously close to hers. “We don’t want to be late.”

I couldn’t help but notice Audrey Rose’s focus intently on my lips, almost as if she were hypnotized by my Cupid’s bow, though within seconds, she was laughing. 

“Love?” Her laughter prevented her from answering, encouraging me to face the mirror behind me. I held back my own laughter as I gazed at the red lipstick smeared all around my mouth—courtesy of Audrey Rose. A myriad of clever retorts crossed my mind, but I settled for teasing, “This will work well, darling, it appears as though I’ve just given in to my vampiric desire and lust for blood. Whenever it begins wearing off throughout the night, we’ll have an excuse to slip away into dark alcoves to make out.” 

“You’re ridiculous,” Audrey Rose declared.

I smirked, grabbing her hips and tugging her into the circle of my arms. “I know. And you love me for it.”

I didn’t know who moved first, but suddenly her mouth was on mine, her teeth gently nipping at my lower lip. We found ourselves lost in the entanglement of lips, tongues, and teeth, though neither of us uttered any complaints. 

Finding self-restraint buried deep within me, I broke the kiss. Audrey Rose looked just as disheartened as I felt from the lack of affection, however, I knew us too well to assume we could have our fun kissing while still making it to the party on time. “Perhaps we should get going, my love.”

After moments of silence, Audrey Rose seemingly lost in my eyes, she snapped back to reality, smiling innocently up at me as she met my gaze—blushing intensely. Audrey Rose responded, completely startled, “Yes— Yes, of course! Noah and Liza are probably wondering what’s taking us so long.” 

I raised a brow. “I assure you, love, Noah and Liza have a perfectly logical assumption as to what’s taking us so long.”

“What are you—” Audrey Rose cut herself off as her eyes widened in understanding, shoving my chest with her hand in horror. “Thomas!”

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t contain the laugh within my chest. “Am I mistaken?”

She dared not answer the question, only confirming that she knew I was right. The room fell into silence, one that indicated it was probably time to go. As I moved to pull away from Audrey Rose, she caught my wrist in her gentle fingers, tugging me closer as she spoke timidly, “Thomas?”

Seeing the sudden worry in her eyes, I internally began to panic. “What is it, my love? Are you alright?”

“I… Will there be any clowns this year?”

I wanted to laugh at the question, though I could tell by her tone—and from prior experiences—that Audrey Rose was genuinely concerned. If there was one secret of hers that I knew, it was how terrified of clowns she was. I only saw the extent of her fear last year at Daci and Ileana’s Halloween party when they hired a guy to play Pennywise. Needless to say, Audrey Rose spent a majority of that night cradled in my arms, holding back her tears. 

Gently, I traced along her hairline, down her cheek until I cupped her jaw in my hand, tilting her chin up with my thumb so she met my gaze. “As far as I’m aware, my love, there will be no clowns. None at all. Though in the rare chance I’m wrong, I promise to protect you with my charm and vast intellect.” I winked, sparking a small smile from Audrey Rose in return and once I realized she was truly alright, I added, “Let’s go, love. Daciana is going to kill me if we keep procrastinating our departure.” 

Audrey Rose let out a quiet laugh as she grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together in an elegant knot, tugging on my arm as she made her way to the door. “Oh! And Thomas?” Audrey rose blurted. 

“Yes?”

“I promise I’ll protect you from any spiders we happen to see tonight, okay? You can save me from the clowns and I can save you from the spiders.”

I closed the distance between us, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek as I murmured, “This is why I love you.”

All Audrey Rose did in response was pull me through the doorway, pulling me towards a night filled with fear, fun, and adventure. 


	27. The Phantom Moonlight Killer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: could u write something about Audrey having a near-death experience and Thomas can only watch and is helpless? I legit love everything that you write it’s all so amazing!!

We’d been dancing for hours along the ballroom floor, Audrey Rose’s deep violet gown complementing the lilac colour of my waistcoat. I had to admit, we made quite the dashing pair — even whilst hunting down a career murderer. Often Audrey Rose and I declined our invitations to elegant balls, both for our preferred past times of laying in one another's arms whilst kissing and because of Audrey Rose’s leg. Her injury from the Etruria had healed immensely well over the years, though her limp lingered, as did minor pain when aggravated from standing, walking, and — as was the case of the present moment — dancing. Nevertheless, neither of our excuses proved useful for this particular occasion, given that we had no choice but to attend if we wished to save lives. 

Our current case was a complex one — an emotional one. It was clear by the selection of the victims that the killer, whomever it was, had an emotional motivation to their horrible acts, not the work of a psychopath — the term German Psychiatrist Julius Ludwig August Koch declared for those with moral insanity back in 1888. We were dealing with a sentimental murderer, not an individual who killed for pleasure or entertainment. They possessed a method to their madness ;  there was order in the chaos ,  a factor I found all too fascinating. 

Their many victims fit the same pattern; women in their early twenties to mid thirties, high status, and happily married with no children. The murders always occurred at balls hosted by rich families, the victim and their husband beyond joyous during the entire evening —according to witnesses . What was truly peculiar was how only the wives lost their lives, no harm came to their equally as in love husbands. And from the investigating Audrey Rose, Professor Jonathan and I had done, not one of these tragic victims were involved with prostitution, adultery, or any other less-than-proper affairs, showcasing no outwards motive for killing these specific individuals. As well, there were no found connections between the victims or their husbands —not a single one of them had ever met, leaving myself, Dr. Wadsworth and Audrey Rose quite puzzled. 

Seeing as we had no proper leads or evidence to suggest any particular individual as the killer, Jonathan had suggested we lure in the murderer ourselves, using Audrey Rose and myself as bait—a factor I was vastly hesitant about. Considering the nature of the case, offering Audrey Rose and I to the killer seemed like a risk I was not willing to take, though she had insisted upon this plan, and I was in no place to make that decision for her. Regardless of the outcome, I would remain unharmed. The issue was the fact Audrey Rose’s life didn’t have the same certainty.

I forced my attention back to the current moment; Audrey Rose and I dancing along the ballroom floor, acting as though we were simply an overly in love married couple— _ not  _ an overly in love married couple who were tracking down a career murderer. 

“Thomas?” Drawing my eyes to Audrey Rose’s face, I hummed softly in acknowledgment. “Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary? Anything suspicious?” 

I scanned the room as Audrey Rose and I continued dancing, focusing on every detail I was able. Eventually, I shook my head, returning my gaze to her own. She frowned slightly. Either our plan to capture the killer was not working the way we had originally anticipated or the killer was taking a day off. Regardless, we were no closer to identifying the killer now than we were three days ago—possibly more so. Releasing a sigh, I asked, “You?” 

Audrey Rose shook her head before her eyes widened, indicating she possessed an idea. She  offered me a wicked grin, a smirk Satan himself —or even our darling cat Sir Isaac Mewton— would be envious of. “Perhaps your acting abilities are not as good as you pride yourself for, Cresswell. Maybe our display isn’t... _ overt _ enough for The Phantom Moonlight Killer.” 

I deduced where her train of thought led, prompting me to smirk. “What do you suggest we do in regards to my poor acting skills, Lady Audrey Rose Cresswell? Your intelligence has always been vastly above mine.”

Audrey Rose slowly traced up the front of my trousers, over the curve of my bulge before tucking her fingers into the waistband, using it to pull my body flush against hers. I nearly stumbled from the force of her body against mine, but quickly found my footing, settling one of my hands at her waist while the other cupped the nape of her neck, my fingertips buried in the roots of ebony curls. The elegant waltz was long forgotten, now it was merely Audrey Rose and I. The rest of the world be damned. 

I raised a brow. 

“The Phantom Moonlight Killer wants love?” Audrey Rose paused, slowly drifting her hands up the plain of my chest to grip the lapels of my jacket, giving them a slight tug to test their durability. She smirked in satisfaction. “We’ll give him all of it and more.” 

Before I could retaliate with a signature  _ Thomas Cresswell  _ quip, Audrey rose had yanked my lapels, using them to finally close the distance between us. She claimed my lips in a heated kiss, her tongue tracing across the seam of my lips, encouraging me to open my mouth for her as she twined her arms around my neck. I explored her mouth, teasing strokes against her tongue as she moaned my name, the sound enough to make my trousers grow the slightest bit tighter. 

“My love,” I managed, the words coming out in a huff of a breath. I watched as her gaze dipped between us—watched as a smug expression grew across her features at how tight my trousers had become. Audrey Rose let out a loose laugh, a sound I wished to wrap up in an elegant box and open whenever I wished. In a way, that wish was granted—given that some unforsaken God had blessed me with her affection, allowing me to be the soul to cause such a sound. 

Her mischievous gaze met mine, her chin tipped back to compensate for her petite stature as she spoke, “Perhaps this will be enough to capture The Phantom Moonlight Killer’s attention.”

“It has certainly captured  _ yours _ .”

Audrey Rose rolled her eyes. “That’s a given, Cresswell.”

“I doubt my sexual desire will make us any more enticing to our dear mystery murderer friend, however, I never fail to appreciate your attention, my love.” I exhaled, tossing my head back as I let my chest sink. “On a serious note, as much as I adore this game your Aunt would surely have an aneurysm from, I  _ do  _ believe we need to remain focused. We know far too little about this killer as is, and I hate to even entertain the possibility of something happening to you—”

Audrey Rose silenced me with a kiss, a swift, gentle brush of her lips against my own, followed by a chaste kiss to the corner of my mouth. “No harm will come to me, Thomas, and with all that I am, I promise you that. Believe me, I know you and Uncle Jonathan were hesitant to use me as bait, but we cannot simply wait around until the killer makes an error. We cannot risk more lives. You needn’t forget that this is not my first time dancing with the devil.”

“One of those devils left you dying in my arms.”

She groaned. “That’s vastly different, Cresswell.  _ I  _ jumped in front of Andreas’s blade. I knew precisely what I was doing. He hadn’t targeted me directly.”

“Fine. Andreas aside, you cannot simply ignore our time in America. H.H. Holmes nearly ended the lives of not only you, but your Uncle and I as well. Audrey Rose, four  _ days  _ you were captured by him. Four days I thought I had lost you.”

“But I  _ survived _ , Thomas. I’m alive,” Audrey Rose stated. The power in her voice—in her eyes—was something akin to that of a queen or goddess. It was an abrupt reminder of how ruthless my wife was capable of being. “I refuse to let my legacy be held in the palms of a career murderer, forever donning the title of their victim. And if you think I would allow that to be my fate, then perhaps you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.”

Audrey Rose’s hands loosened on my lapels before they released entirely, gently pushing off my chest as she moved to walk away, but before she was out of reach, I caught her wrist in my fingers, seizing her attention for another moment. The way she looked at me—the disappointment in her gaze—brimmed my eyes with tears. 

“Audrey Rose, wait—”

However, the moment the words escaped my lips, she pulled her hand from my grasp, to which I let her go. I once promised her that I would never be her keeper—never chain her to me no matter how much it would break me to watch her go—and I fully intended to keep that promise. My fingertips grazed the skin of her forearm as she took a step back. “I’m going to find Uncle Jonathan.”

With that, I watched Audrey Rose disappear into the crowd of people laughing and dancing, so vastly different to the melancholy I currently felt in my chest. 

I knew this was only a trivial argument, one that would be resolved soon enough, though every moment where Audrey Rose wasn’t perfectly okay hurt me in ways I couldn’t comprehend. All I wished to do was make her smile or laugh. Any moment where I caused the opposite reaction broke me. 

Social cues were never my forte, and despite how well I could read Audrey Rose’s innermost thoughts, whatever I had done or said to spark such an emotive reaction for her to walk away entirely managed to slip through my abilities. Was it my mentioning of America that had put her on edge? Perhaps the Etruria? Or a byproduct of that statement, which reminded her of her injury? I dared not entertain the thought that she was reminded of the injury and realized that her sacrifice hadn’t been worth it.

I raked a hand through my hair, pushing the strands back from my face as I huffed out a sigh. As if sensing my current desperation, a waiter arrived before me, offering me a flute of champagne from his tray. I gladly accepted, offering the man a nod of thanks before downing it in one gulp, tipping my head back with a breathy sound of satisfaction. 

Jonathan had informed us not to drink on this occasion, though I doubted one flute of champagne would do any harm. I placed the empty glass on a different waiter’s tray as he walked past and scanned my eyes around the room, my mind still occupied with Audrey Rose. 

So many words I wished to say to her, so many things I  _ needed  _ to tell her. I needed her to know that I believed her to be the most brilliant, strong, independent individual I had ever encountered. I needed her to know that I had never once doubted her abilities. And most importantly, I needed her to know how much I loved her. 

My anxiety found an outlet on my thigh, my fingertips rapping against my leg in rhythm with the music flowing through the ballroom. In times like this, an old version of myself would’ve grabbed a cigarette, allowing the nicotine to carry away my excessive worrying, however, that Thomas Cresswell was long gone, replaced with a much healthier and happier edition—one with a wife and extended in-law family who loved him—who loved  _ me _ .

I squeezed my eyes shut, using the brief moment to collect my thoughts. God above, it was truly fascinating how I was able to love Audrey Rose to the extent that I did, to the point that every moment away from her felt like agony—as though I was missing my other half. I felt incomplete without her. Not necessarily insecure, but lonesome or sorrowful. 

_ Love  _ wasn’t a strong enough word for what Audrey Rose and I had. The love Audrey Rose and I shared was more accurately depicted as an amalgamation of eros, pragma, ludus, storge, mania, agape—the six ancient Greek words used for love. A rich blend of passion, romance, and  _ friendship.  _ What I would always value above all else was my friendship with Audrey Rose, despite the fact she served as much more in my life. Before she was my wife, before she was my lover, she was my best friend. 

I shook my head, pinching the bridge of my nose in between my thumb and forefinger. I couldn’t wait any longer. If Audrey Rose and I were going to hunt The Phantom Moonlight Killer before he struck again, we needed to meet on the same metaphorical page. 

Recomposing myself with a deep breath, I made my way across the large, elegant room, searching for Jonathan, given that was where Audrey Rose declared she was going. I made a mental note of where I last spotted my dear Uncle-in-law and squeezed my way through the crowd of people, murmuring my apologies whenever I bumped into someone. 

Within minutes, my eyes landed on Jonathan, though my wife was nowhere to be found. I raised a curious brow at the doctor, crossing the distance between us. He seemed to be in the midst of an important conversation with someone of relatively high status, though I selfishly knew Audrey Rose and I were his priorities. The thought made a smirk tug at the corner of my lips. 

Jonathan looked from me to the man and began, “Ah, Dr. Sanchez, this is my nephew-in-law, Lord Thomas Cresswell. Thomas, this is an old friend of mine, Doctor Henry Sanchez.”

The man extended a hand, to which I shook. I wasn’t partial to small talk, especially without the presence of Audrey Rose, though the man seemed nice enough. “A pleasure,” I greeted kindly, allowing my signature charming smirk to shine across my lips. Audrey Rose once informed me that my classic half-smile was enough to deceive anyone about my true feelings of the conversation. 

“Please, Lord Cresswell, the pleasure is mine. I am no stranger when it comes to the knowledge of your, Jonathan, and Audrey Rose’s spectacular investigations, all of which are quite impressive given your young age,” Henry spoke. “As a matter of fact, how old are you?”

“Twenty-two,” I answered. “Though my wife is only twenty-one.”

“Twenty-one and twenty-two!” Sanchez exclaimed, clasping his hands together with a loud slap. “Impeccable! How old were you when you first began?”

I ran a hand through my hair, eagerly tapping my foot to the ballroom floor as my finger rapped against my thigh. “Audrey Rose and I were both seventeen when her uncle took us in as apprentices, though my fascination with science and deduction travels back to my early childhood and adolescence.”

“I have admired yours and Audrey Rose’s work for quite some time, Doctor Cresswell. Jack the Ripper in the summer of 1888, Dracula in the winter of 1888, The Baravrian Ripper in January of 1889—a case in which I was especially drawn to, The White City Devil in February of 1889… And those only occurred within your teenage years! Truly, what haven’t you accomplished?” He paused for what I could only assume was dramatic effect—a factor I understood far too well. “You have a wife, a successful career, and a title of power—what more could you wish for? Perhaps children?”

I let out a loose chuckle as I raised my hand, scratching behind my ear. “Audrey Rose and I married young—either in our twentieth year—and we wish to enjoy our time alone together for a few more years before the thought of reproduction crosses our minds. Besides, given our occupation, children aren’t a feasible option, and neither Audrey Rose or myself are willing to give up science for societal standards of a family, so we are not entirely sure of our future plans.”

“I deem it to be a waste of both yours and Audrey Rose’s superior genetics to simply live a life without continuing the Cresswell lineage, though that is merely my personal opinion.”

With no more to say, I nodded in acknowledgement. I didn’t possess any ill feelings towards the doctor, though he had no right to give his opinion on mine and Audrey Rose’s future. The high class ladies who frequently joined Liza and Amelia at tea already pestered Audrey Rose greatly for that on their own. I turned my attention to Jonathan, asking, “Did Audrey Rose happen to mention where she ran off to?”

“She has been with you all evening, how would I know of her whereabouts?”

The moment he said the words—the implication behind them—my heart stopped beating in my chest. “Did Audrey Rose not come to speak with you?” 

“No, I thought she had been with you?”

I cursed beneath my breath, no more than a whisper, and the look on Jonathan’s features told me all I needed to know—that my suspicions were not ludicrous.  _ The Phantom Moonlight Killer had gotten to Audrey Rose. _

Before I got the opportunity to so much as part my lips, Jonathan had spoken first; “Do not panic, Thomas. Set aside your emotions and study the evidence and facts laid before us. As far as you are concerned, this victim is no different than any other case.”

I didn’t have the chance or time to retaliate, not when Audrey Rose’s life was at risk. Flashbacks of the Etruria haunted me, holding my love’s cold, limp body in my arms, not knowing if those straggled lifts and falls of her chest would be the last. However, what loomed over me even more so were the memories of The White City Devil, those four days where I were merely helpless while Audrey Rose was imprisoned. I hadn’t known if she was alive then similar to how I didn’t know if she was even alive  _ now. _

“I shall look around the exterior of the estate for any indication that our killer took Audrey Rose somewhere else — you search every chamber you come across within this home. I do not wish to speak with you again until you’ve done so, is that understood?” Jonathan ordered.

With a firm, grim nod of my head, I uttered, “Indeed, sir.”

Turning on my heel, I swiftly began making my way through the crowd of people towards the grand staircase in the room, knowing it led to the more private quarters of the estate. I unbuttoned the jacket of my suit as I rushed up the stairs, the feeling an instant relief as I let out a sigh. It felt hard to breathe, though I knew that was only because of my growing anxiety in regards to the situation, not the result of someone attempting to harm me. 

Reaching the top of the staircase, I surveyed my options of directions. I either had to follow instinct or take the logical approach, though in this battle of life versus death, I doubted I had time for the latter. Relying on a split second decision, I began down the long corridor, opening every door I came across along the way. I inspected rooms for secret passageways in case our killer wished to remain hidden, I looked for potential clues as to where he could have gone, either of which with no found luck. 

Turning to my left, seeing as there was no where else for me to go, I came across a long, darkened corridor, the only noticeable feature a grand wooden door at the end of the passageway, completely hidden away in the shadows. The metal hinges of the door were rusted and the door itself was coated in dust, a clear indication that this specific room was not frequently used , however, the door handle was clean—almost polished.  _ Someone was in there.  _

I wrapped my fingers around the cool mental knob, gently turning it as I swung open the door with a loud creak. What I was met with I had anticipated, though it didn’t make the sight any easier. 

Audrey Rose’s wrists and ankles were tied to the chair she sat in with rope, the embracive material already chafing her usually soft skin. I ran my eyes along her body, noticing how the skirts of her dress were ripped and used as a gag tied around her head, the fabric shoved between her teeth. I forced my attention away from Audrey Rose, remembering Jonathan’s earlier words.  _ Set aside your emotions and study the evidence and facts laid before us. _ If I wished to save Audrey Rose’s life—and I wanted that more than anything in this world—I needed to remain calm and collected, despite the way my hands shook with anxiety. 

My gaze met with The Phantom Moonlight Killer’s figure from where he stood beside Audrey Rose, his back turned to me. I didn’t dare speak, not wishing to make even the most minor of errors. Every precise detail of this encounter mattered. If I so much as uttered the wrong syllable, Audrey Rose could take her final breath. And it would be  _ my  _ fault. 

“Close the door, Mr. Cresswell. I wish to continue our conversation in privacy,” he requested, his oddly gentle words immediately followed by the sound of blades clashing against one another, indicating he was sharpening a knife or sword. Obliging, though without prying my attention from the killer or Audrey Rose, I slowly closed the grand wooden door behind me, hearing it shut with a loud click. 

I surveyed Audrey Rose once more, taking in every detail of her I was able. She was conscious, still fighting against her restraints, though her movements appeared too weak, too tiresome. The Phantom must’ve given her a sedative. I considered the possibility that they had gotten into a brawl, one in which Audrey Rose’s head was hit causing her slow movements, however, from where I stood, there appeared to be no sign of blunt force trauma.

Leisurely, as though he had all the time in the world, the killer faced me. Indeed, he was holding a sword as I had suspected, though I still couldn’t see his face—his identity remaining hidden. Nevertheless, a part of me recognized the voice, allowing me to pin the suspects down to those I had spoken to in my time. As well, he had referred to me as “Mr. Cresswell”, another implication that we had met before. 

“What have you done to her?” I uttered, the words struggling past my throat. 

The man let out a laugh, one that sent shivers throughout my body, all the way up my spine to my nape. “Oh, Thomas.  _ Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. _ For a man deemed the brightest of his generation, you certainly ask the wrong questions.” He paused, running his fingertips across the blade in his hand, most likely testing its sharpness. Satisfied, he dropped his hand back to his side, at last raising his gaze to mine as he added, “You should be worried for what I’m  _ going  _ to do to her.”

My body went tense as a studied The Phantom Moonlight Killer’s features, recognizing nearly immediately that it was none other than Doctor Henry Sanchez. I mouthed a curse beneath my breath, the most I could settle for given the circumstances, though barreling my fist through the closest wall was precisely where my mind had gone. 

How could I have been so foolish—so vacuous? The attentiveness to our prior cases, the excessive interest in mine and Audrey Rose’s future—how could I have missed it?

“Why?” I asked, the tone of my voice almost desperate. “Why take the lives of the innocent? Audrey Rose and I are good at our occupation. We’ve done intensive research on every one of your victims, none of which possessed a single motive for murder. Why?”

Henry released a sigh, tipping his head back as he adjusted the cravat at his throat. “As I mentioned earlier, I was quite drawn to the case of the Barvarian Ripper. Do you recall this, Mr. Cresswell?”

I managed a stark nod of my head—nothing more.

“I understood Andreas and his motivations. In a way, he inspired me.” He paused, presumably waiting to hear my thoughts, but when I didn’t move to speak, he continued, “Andreas killed because his darling betrothed died by the hands of others. Now, don’t get this twisted, Doctor Cresswell, this isn’t  _ my  _ motivation. I’m simply...painting the larger portrait. Anyhow, I understood Andreas’s vast pain and suffering of losing the love of his life, his entire future.

“You love your wife, is that true, Thomas?” Henry didn’t wait for my answer. “When you love someone enough, you bind yourself to them. Your very souls become intertwined—inseparable. Although, the moment that individual you love so immesley—so passionately—is ripped away from your very fingertips, stolen away by death, you understand how unfair this world truly is. And in honour of that love that you once shared, you take it into your own hands to pay the price of the world’s cruelty. 

“Not only was my wife taken from, Thomas— _ oh no, no, no _ —as was my unborn child. And how you may ask? She visited one of the local brothels, gifting the prostitutes with food and a small sum, simply from the kindness of her heart. My darling Lilia, always so kind.” For a brief moment, a light shone in his eyes—perhaps at the mention of his late wife’s name, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. “She fell ill shortly afterwards and died in my arms, all within a week. I vowed to myself, to Lilia, that I would honour her by inflicting the pain I’m forced to live with upon others. Hence why I don’t kill the husbands of my victims—a detail I can only assume you’ve noticed. The act of killing is not what I enjoy—rather the knowledge that their husband’s will now understand the melancholy I feel, knowing that they too will not get to live their futures alongside their loves.”

I couldn’t form a response so instead, I returned my attention to Audrey Rose. In an odd way, I sympathized with Henry. Not the act of murder—not that at all—but the motivation behind his heartless acts. In a different world, one in which Audrey Rose never survived her time with Holmes or Andreas, I would’ve become a similar monster. The thought raised goose-flesh upon my skin. 

“What have you done to Audrey Rose?” I repeated, no longer concerned with the case or the other victims. All I cared about was ensuring that Audrey Rose wouldn’t become one of the victims to fall by his hand. 

Doctor Sanchez clicked his tongue with a wicked grin and a part of me didn’t want to hear what would come next. “Since you’ve behaved so obediently thus far…” He slowly stalked around Audrey Rose, running his fingertips along the back of her chair. I heard her whimper around the gag in her mouth, the sound enough to cause my heart to ache. I  _ needed _ to wrap her up in my arms, to kiss her and remind her how much I loved her. I needed to hold her to my chest and never let go. “Your lovely, sharp rose here has ingested quite a large quantity of morphine.”

When I opened my mouth to speak, Henry added, “Don’t bother asking large a dosage, that shall remain a mystery in order to keep this entertaining. All you need to know is that I too am a doctor, Mr. Cresswell, and I am educated on the precise dosage of morphine it would take to end Audrey Rose life.”

I ran my gaze over Audrey Rose, silently using my deduction skills to identify whether or not Henry was indeed telling the truth. By her appearance—the pale shade of her complexion and her significantly slow and weak movements—I was keen to believe him, given that the evidence before me suggested so. 

“Tick-tock _ ,  _ Mr. Cresswell, your time is swiftly running out,” The Phantom sing-songed with a wicked grin. “Though now that I think about it, isn’t this situation quite...familiar, Thomas? Audrey Rose’s life at risk while you are merely powerless, forced to wait and see if the world decides to give you—or rather  _ her _ —a second chance? It’s as though you’re never fast enough, never smart enough, never good enough, and you know who always pays the price for your ignorance? None other than poor, innocent Audrey Rose. You’re always one step behind the killer, Thomas, but in a game of cat and mouse, one step is the difference between life and death.”

My hands curled into fists at my sides, my jaw clenched. He knew precisely what he was doing to me, though I was beginning to suspect he underestimated my abilities. Doctor Sanchez only saw the aspects of mine and Audrey Rose’s prior cases that we  _ allowed  _ to be public. What he was clueless to were the myriad of moments I almost succumbed to the darkness, the moments I contemplated ending Andreas’s life in cold blood. Henry assumed that I had enough morality to refrain from vengeance against him for harming Audrey Rose. 

It was a naive assumption. 

“Had you learned of The White City Devil’s true identity so much as one  _ day  _ earlier, Audrey Rose would have never been imprisoned, you nor Jonathan would have been poisoned. One step, Thomas. One step behind. And soon enough, that one step—”

The tether I had upon myself snapped. The cage containing the devil within me had been thrown opened, releasing a wild beast—one whose desires for blood and vengeance had never truly been fulfilled. 

Launching myself at The Phantom, I knocked him to the ground with a loud thud, the sword in his hand sliding across the floor away from us with a screech. I settled my weight over Henry, ensuring he couldn’t overpower me as he snarled, “I gave you the benefit of the doubt by taking Jonathan’s kind words in regards to you as gospel, but now...now I’m beginning to believe that you are nothing more than the automaton society claims you to be. I see the devil in yours eyes, Thomas. We’re more alike than you care to admit.”

I knew precisely what he was doing, yet his manipulation was too strong for even myself because the moment the words left The Phantom’s lips, I was too distracted to stop him as he flipped us over, pinning me beneath him as his hands slipped around my throat. Desperately clawing at the doctor, I tried to pry his hands from my skin and force air down to my lungs, with no found luck with either of my tasks. As the room began to look polka-dotted with black splotches, a sign that I was nearly unconscious, I reminded myself what I had to fight for. 

A sister.

Friends.

Family.

A future.

And most importantly,  _ a wife _ .

If I didn’t survive, neither could Audrey Rose, and I refused to allow her death to be on my hands. 

With a sudden bout of strength, possibly from the Lord himself offering me a second chance, I thrust Henry off of me, drawing in a deep, straggled breath. Before I had the chance to attack, still recovering from my near unconsciousness from asphyxiation, Henry grabbed his discarded sword from the floor. The look in his gaze told me all I needed to know; he had no intention of letting me leave this room alive. 

The first swing of the sword brushed against the fabric of my jacket against my chest. The second swing of the sword missed entirely. The third, however, made contact, slicing through the fabric of my sleeve as well as my skin. 

I groaned in pain with a hiss, clutching my bicep in my palm to apply pressure to the cut. When I pulled my hand away, it was coated in fresh blood. 

Raising my gaze to Henry’s, I watched his lips raise into a satisfied smirk. Similar to that of a shark, the first drops of blood only made The Phantom crave it more. 

He advanced on me, quickly throwing his body in my direction with his sword before him as protection. Before he had the chance to regain balance from the force of his movements, I wrapped my foot around the back of his ankle and tugged in one swift motion, knocking Henry to the ground. Within the same moment, I stomped on his hand that clutched the hilt of the sword, more than likely breaking a few of his fingers. He yelled out in pain and released the sword entirely, his hand now too weak to properly use the weapon. 

I snatched the sword from the floor, adjusting it in my palm until I deemed it comfortable. I recalled the years I spent training in fencing, how familiar the weight of a sword felt in my hand, though now, it was under much different circumstances. Fencing was a matter of winning or losing, a simple sport for entertainment. Now, where I stood above The Phantom Moonlight Killer himself, I had the power to end his life, a fact that seemed all too enticing in the moment. 

I scanned Henry’s body, searching through my mind for the intense anatomical knowledge I possessed in order to determine a spot on his body that I could stab without ultimately ending his life. Making my decision, I dug the tip of the sword into Henry’s lower abdomen, careful to avoid causing him a fatal injury. I wanted to rein him unconscious, not to be arrested and charged for murder.

The Phantom struggled for moments, though after a few minutes of fighting, his eyes fluttered shut and his head lolled to the side. At last, he had drifted into a slumber. 

Racing to Audrey Rose, I dropped to my knees before her, my breath uneven as I gazed up at her. I placed the sword to the floor beside me, raising my hands to tug the gag off of her head as I asked, “Are you alright, my love?”

She nodded, though I could tell the morphine was still within her system, fighting for dominance in her body. Quickly cleaning the sword of Henry’s blood, I used the blade to cut the ropes off of Audrey Rose’s wrists and ankles, immediately drawing her into my lap. 

“Thomas,” she breathed out, nearly pouncing on me as she tossed her arms around my neck. 

I held her just as tightly to my chest, whispering in her ear, “I thought I had lost you—I could  _ still  _ lose you, Audrey Rose, the morphine—”

She held my face in her palms, forcing my gaze on hers. “Did you kill him?” Her tone was shockingly gentle considering the grim words she had spoken, soft as though she was afraid of my answer.

I shook my head head. “I gave him an injury that would buy us time, but no, my love, I didn’t kill him. Though I- I was close.”

Audrey Rose brushed her thumb across my cheek, smiling gently as she murmured, “But you didn’t, Cresswell. And  _ that  _ is what truly matters.” Her gaze dipped to my arm, the large, bloody wound that laid there. Before I could speak, she got me out of my jacket, waistcoat, and shirt, tying the strip of fabric used as her gag around my arm, temporarily stopping the bleeding. 

The silence surrounding us left me alone with my thoughts, the worries roaming my mind. “Audrey Rose?” I uttered and the moment my gaze met hers, I could see the way her pupils dilated, the way her eyelids grew heavier with every passing moment. 

“Yes, Thomas?”

“I’m afraid,” I confessed, no more than a whisper. “I- I’m frightened that I won’t be able to save you. I’m frightened that Sanchez was right about all of it—that I’m always one step behind. Not smart enough, not swift enough. That my repeated failures will cost you your life.”

“Thomas… My sweet, darling boy. Never for a moment believe—” Before Audrey Rose could finish her thought, she twisted in my lap, vomiting onto the floor.

Instantly, my hands were in her raven-coloured hair, holding back her curls as I rubbed her spine. “Breathe, my love. Let it out. This is good, this means the morphine is trying to leave your system.” 

Audrey Rose coughed, swiping the back of her hand across her lips to remove any remains of the vomit as I continued massaging soft circles against her shoulder blades. With my free hand, I pressed a hand to her forehead, mentally noting the sweat on her skin followed by checking her pulse at the side of her neck. As I suspected, it was slow—far too slow for my liking. Next, I checked her hands, raising her knuckles to my lips to press a kiss to her skin, nearly sighing of relief at the fact her fingertips hadn’t turned blue, well at the very least, not yet. 

Lolling her head against my chest, Audrey Rose murmured, “Thomas, I’m tired,” as her eyelids fluttered shut. 

“Audrey Rose! No, no, no, my love, you have to stay awake. Talk to me, Wadsworth. Tell me about how much of a scoundrel I am. Tell me how I’m ridiculous and annoying and make jests at the most inappropriate times—just  _ please _ stay awake. You’re not dying on me, Audrey Rose, I forbid it,” I pleaded, begging the universe, to anyone who’d listen _. _

My prayers were met with silence, for Audrey Rose didn’t respond. 




Hours later, I laid in mine and Audrey Rose’s bed in the private chambers of our country estate. Jonathan kept coming in and out of the room, checking on the wound in my arm, and  _ thankfully _ , the alive and well Audrey Rose Aadhira Cresswell laying against my chest.  _ Well _ was a tad of an overstatement, seeing as she was still very much ill, however, we had reached the point of guaranteed survival.

It hadn’t been an easy fight—Audrey Rose’s survival. It was hours and hours of holding her in my arms, refusing to let go of the woman I loved while she thrashed around, occasionally retching in her sleep. Not only had I worried about the morphine killing Audrey Rose, I feared the hypothetical where she asphyxiated on her vomit. It wasn’t a far fetched worry.

Shortly after she had first gone unconscious, Jonathan, accompanied with the police, managed to find us locked in the room. The police handled The Phantom—now known as Dr Sanchez, while Jonathan handled Audrey Rose and I. It wasn’t until we had gotten Audrey Rose home, safe in the comfort of our bed, when she finally woke. Despite being very groggy and her movements still slow, she was alive. And I would take that over anything else. 

I glanced down at Audrey Rose, smoothing her hair back from her face. Assuming she had been asleep, the moment she turned to look up at me gave me a quick startle, one which made Audrey Rose giggle. 

“How are you feeling, my love?” I asked softly, instinctively holding her closer. She seemed to find a similar comfort in the embrace as she nuzzled into my bare chest, her fingertip sloppily tracing the tattoo over my heart. 

“Better. I feel a little nauseous and like I could sleep for the next week, but I’m okay,” she answered, softly dropping a kiss to my pectoral. Audrey Rose looked back up at me, her green eyes shining with so much joy as though the mere sight of me made her happy. She inquired, “How are  _ you _ feeling, my sweet? You were practically stabbed.” 

I shrugged, causing me to wince. If I was trying to play off my pain as nonchalance, I was doing a bloody awful job at it. Audrey Rose saw right through me. “It’s sore, but I’ll manage. Though your Uncle did inform me that it’s deep enough to scar.”

“And?”

“You won’t find it...uncomfortable? I don’t want you to see it and remember what happened. I don’t want to always carry a physical reminder on my body of the pain you went through tonight,” I stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Audrey Rose gave me a look, one I’d come to learn translated to  _ “you are a moron, Thomas Cresswell,”  _ though somehow I still saw the love in her gaze. “We all have scars,” she began with a simple raise of her shoulders. “Physical, mental—they are all merely reminders of what we’ve overcome. Besides, you can look at my scar from the Etruria without those terrible flashbacks, so how is this any different? You’re over thinking, Cresswell.”

“Are you sure? Absolutely positive?”

Shaking her head with a smile, Audrey Rose sighed and brought my lips down to hers, the only answer I needed. It was a kiss that promised love and honesty. One that promised a better future with less pain. A kiss that said, _“As_ _long as we’re together, we can overcome anything.”_

I waited for that uncertainty and disbelief to set in. The unease in my stomach of believing I didn’t deserve such a blissfully happy future—especially one with her. But the feeling never came. 

All I felt was love. 


End file.
